§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was his Department's budget for road maintenance in each of the last 10 years. [105704]
§ Mr. Hill[holding answer 18 January 2000]: Motorway and trunk road maintenance is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions. The Highways Agency (an executive agency of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions) carries out this function on the Secretary of State's behalf.
The responsibility for maintenance of local roads rests with local highway authorities. Central Government funding for routine maintenance of local authority roads is provided through the highways maintenance element of the Revenue Support Grant (RSG). This is distributed by the Highways Maintenance Standard Spending Assessment (HMSSA).
Funding for structural maintenance of local authority principal roads and bridges has been provided through 529W Transport Supplementary Grant (TSG) until 1999–2000. In the future it will be provided by the Local Transport Plan capital settlement.
The provisions for the last 10 years were:
Year £ million Highway maintenance standard spending assessment 1990–91 1,578 1991–92 1,786 1992–93 1,806 1993–94 1,736 1994–95 1,759 1995–96 1,759 1996–97 1,759 1997–98 1,759 1998–99 1,767 1999–2000 11,813 Transport supplementary grant 1992–93 47.64 1993–94 86.5 1994–95 75.5 1995–96 70.52 1996–97 43.9 1997–98 46 1998–99 40 1999–2000 56.75 Maintenance provision for motorways and trunk roads 1990–91 2408 1991–92 2430 1992–93 2478 1993–94 726 1994–95 690 1995–96 675 1996–97 547
Table B: Orders being considered Topic Timing The disposal of houses by local authorities in England Expected to be made in late April/early May Amending Section 7 of the Building Act 1984 Expected to be laid before Parliament before the summer recess Eligibility to drive a private hire vehicle outside London Under consideration in the light of responses to consultation