HC Deb 09 December 1975 vol 902 cc131-2W
Mr. Gwynfor Evans

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what amount of central Government aid has been allocated to overground and underground railway services in Greater London since 1970; and under which legislation aid has been provided.

Dr. Gilbert

Since 1st January 1970 grants totalling £58.6 million have been paid under Section 56 of the Transport Act 1968 to the London Transport Executive for capital projects on the Underground. From 1st April 1975 such grants have been replaced by transport supplementary grant, which is a block grant to-towards expenditure in local transport as a whole, including revenue support, under Section 6 of the Local Government Act 1974. It is not possible to distinguish what proportion of the transport, supplementary grant paid to the Greater London Council is related to expenditure on the Underground.

Since 1st January 1970 grants totalling £39.6 million have been paid under Section 56 of the Transport Act 1968 to the British Railways Board for capital projects in the London commuter network—which extends beyond the boundaries of the Greater London Council. From 1st January 1975 the grants have been absorbed into the compensation paid to the Board under Section 3(1) of the Railways Act 1974.

In the calendar years 1970–1974 a total of £98 million was paid to the Railways Board as revenue support for the whole of the London and South-East network under Section 39 of the Transport Act 1968. Since 1st January 1975 these grants have also been absorbed into the compensation paid to the Board under Section 3(1) of the Railways Act 1974.