§ Mrs. GormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to increase the capital allocation to Essex county council for road construction in this or following financial years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChopeThe allocation of transport supplementary grant, annual capital guideline and supplementary credit approval for local authority expenditure on roads in 1991–92 was announced last December. The resources available were fully distributed among the 108 authorities and none held back for later allotment.
The allocations are decided in the light of information in authorities' annual transport policies and programme documents, which have to be submitted to the Secretary of State by the end of July each year. The allocations for Essex county council for 1992–93 will be considered on this basis, taking into account the competing bids from other highway authorities and the total resources available. It is not therefore possible to anticipate the outcome.