Roads (Expenditure)

HC Deb 08 August 1980 vol 990 cc486-7W

Mr. Waller

asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish figures showing the source of funds from (a) central and (b) local government for the following items of outturn expenditure in 1978–79: (i) trunk roads, (ii) local roads and (iii) other road-related expenditure.

Mr. Fowler

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Newport (Mr. Hughes) on 1 July 1980.—[Vol. 987, c.51.]

Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Minister of Transport what proportion of total public expenditure was devoted to (a) trunk and local road construction and (b) all road expenditure in 1970–71, 1975–76 and 1980–81.

Mr. Fowler

Separate figures for England are not available. For 1975–76 and 1980–81, the figures below are based on Cmnd. 7841 and compare expenditure on

						1970–71	1975–76	1980–81
						Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
Total trunk road and local road construction as a percentage of total public expenditure	…	…	2.9	1.7	1.1
Total road expenditure as a percentage of total public expenditure	…	…	…	…	…	4.0	2.8	2.2

Mr. Fry

asked the Minister of Transport what proportion of central and local government expenditure on roads was accounted for by administration in 1970–71, 1975–76, 1978–79 and is budgeted for 1980–81; what factors have led to the changes in this proportion; and what steps he is taking to reduce the proportion.

Mr. Fowler

Costs of preparing motorway and trunk road schemes in England and supervising maintenance have, over the period concerned accounted for the following proportions of the Roads Vote:

	%
1970–71	6.4
1975–76	6.6
1978–79	10.2
1980–81	9.6

The increased proportion of the Vote taken by these costs in recent years has been caused mainly by a tendency for schemes to increase in complexity coupled with more extended processes of inquiry and public participation. I am continuing to seek means of improving flexibility and reducing costs so far as this is possible without limiting public involvement or the rights of objectors. Figures for local government administration attributable specifically to roads as distinct from transport generally are not available.