HC Deb 24 April 1990 vol 171 cc192-3W
Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the proposed level, at 1990 prices, of central Government funding for road improvements and new construction for each of the next three years; what proportion that will represent of total road spending; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Atkins

The proposed level of central Government funding for new construction and improvement of roads in Great Britain for the next three financial years at 1990–91 prices is:

£ million
1990–91 1,818
1991–92 1,785
1992–93 1,828

These figures include grants to local authorities for road construction and improvement. In addition, the financing costs of local authorities' use of credit approvals for road construction and so on, are taken into account in the determination of the standard service assessment on which the distribution of revenue support grant is based. Local authorities are free to undertake other local roads expenditure within their overall capital resources and it is therefore not possible to estimate what proportion of total road spending these figures will represent.

The spending on new construction and improvement of trunk roads and motorways represents the following proportions of total spending on these roads:

Percentage
1990–91 70.1
1991–92 69.5
1992–93 70.4

Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was invested by central Government, in each of the last five years at 1990 prices, in road improvements and new construction.

Mr. Atkins

In the last five financial years the total invested at 1990–91 prices by central Government in new construction and improvement of roads in Great Britain was:

£ million
1985–86 1,211
1986–87 1,146
1987–88 1,227
1988–89 1,287
1989–90 1,509