§ Mr. LathamTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations have been made to his Department by the Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors regarding alleged underspending by highway authorities on road building or maintenance; what statistical evidence is available to him in that regard; and what action he is taking.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors wrote to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 16 September enclosing a copy of its submission to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on roads and bridges expenditure. This contained representations on expenditure by highway authorities on road building and maintenance. The issues raised in their submission were discussed with my right hon. Friend on 26 November.
Statistical evidence on highway authorities' spending on roads comes from their budget and expenditure returns 630W to the Department of the Environment. In the last three financial years public expenditure provision for local authority roads capital spending was not underspent. Local authorities' budgets for 1987–88 show £148 million underspending on road maintenance, despite the poor state of local roads. Public expenditure provision for 1988–89 allows for a 13 per cent. increase on these budgets. If 1988–89 budgets show continuing underspend, we shall need to consider, with the local authority associations, what further steps may be needed to ensure adequate road maintenance by local authorities.