§ Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the roads and transport budget, both in absolute and percentage terms, has been used in the provision of motorway service areas in each year since the start of the motorway programme.
§ Mr. HoramThe total amount invested by the Government in the provision of motorway service areas up to 31st March 1976 is about £17.2 million or 1.25 per cent. of the total expenditure on the construction of motorways. Annual expenditure is not readily available.
§ Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the basis for charging holders of concessions on motorway service areas; how much revenue has been received from these concessions in each year since the start of the motorway programme; why this revenue has not been included in the roads and transport budget as a separate item as is the case for car park revenue; and 691W if steps will be taken to ensure that revenue from these concessions will in future be credited to the roads and transport budget.
§ Mr. HoramService areas are leased to operators following competitive tender. Rents are composed in part of a fixed amount and in part of a varying percentage of gross turnover.
Receipts from service area leases have been as follows:
£ 1960–61 12,000 1961–62 44,000 1962–63 65,000 1963–64 112,000 1964–65 180,000 1965–66 415,000 1966–67 461,000 1967–68 453,000 1968–69 577,000 1969–70 643,000 1970–71 851,000 1971–72 822,000 1972–73 1,442,000 1973–74 1,905,000 1974–75 2,877,000 1975–76 3,256,000 For the purposes of the annual public expenditure survey, receipts from motorway service area leases are treated in accordance with national accounting definitions—i.e., as receipts from the ownership of land, property or buildings and are not offset against expenditure. These receipts, are, however, shown as offsets against expenditure for Parliamentary Vote and Supply—see Supply Estimates Class VI, Vote 1, AZ(1).