§ Mr. David MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the reasons for the revision of the underspend on local authority capital spending for 1988–89 on roads and car parks from £42 million in table 8.1 of Cm. 288–11 to £100 million in the equivalent table of Cm. 608.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe £42 million underspend is indicated by comparing the estimated outturn in Cm. 608 with the provision in Cm. 288-II. The estimated outturn in Cm. 608 is based on spending returns from the first quarter of the year only and hence is subject to wide margins of error. The provision in Cm. 288-II was subsequently revised upwards by £36 million during the year, to reflect an additional £36 million of spending power which became available to local authorities because they underspent their net provision in 1987–88.
The £100 million underspend estimate in paragraph 70 of Cm. 608 is a later Department of Transport forecast which takes account of the revised provision.