§ 33. Mr. Boothasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the reduction in transport expenditure planned by the Government for the period 1980–81 to 1983–84 inclusive of transport supplementary grant, road maintenance, and capital expenditure on roads.
§ Mr. FowlerExpenditure on roads and local transport in England is planned to fall by about 5 per cent. between 1980–81 and 1983–84. Within this total, spending on trunk roads and motorways is planned to rise by about 9 per cent. from the estimated outturn in 1980–81. It is too early to give a breakdown between capital and maintenance in the later years, but I shall be giving priority to maintaining the programmes of new construction and motorway renewal. Transport supplementary grant is a transfer payment to local authorities to support their transport spending and does not score separately as public expenditure. It is not possible to say how much TSG may be available in future years.