HC Deb 27 February 2001 vol 363 cc626-7W
Mr. Cash

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the levels of spending on highways per head of population in(a) Staffordshire and (b) each other county of England (i) in the current year and (ii) in each of the last three years. [150017]

Mr. Hill

The tables showing capital and current expenditure figures by Highways Authorities for the current year available have been placed in the Library of the House. Both tables include Staffordshire. The figures are derived from DENR/Government Office for London capital and revenue estimated outturn figures.

Figures for the three previous years were included in my reply to the hon. Member on 10 November 1999, Official Report, column 601W.

Mr. Cash

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the levels of spending on highways per head of population in(a) Staffordshire and (b) each other county of England (i) in the current year and (ii) in each of the last three years, distinguishing in each case the element represented by standard spending assessment. [148292]

Mr. Hill

The tables showing capital and current expenditure figures for the current year available have been placed in the Library of the House. Both tables include Staffordshire. The figures are derived from DETR/Government Office for London capital and revenue estimated outturn figures.

Figures for the three previous years were included in my answer of 10 November 1999, Official Report, column 601W.

Standard Spending Assessment

Funding for current expenditure on local authority highways is provided by central Government through the Revenue Support Grant (RSG). RSG covers routine maintenance on all local authority roads, part of the structural maintenance on non-principal roads, and an element for capital replacement of street lighting.

Highways Maintenance Standard Spending Assessment (HMSSA) is the figure used to calculate the highways element of the Revenue Support Grant (RSG). The largest single factor used in the calculation of HMSSA is the length and class of roads in each local authority's network. Other factors include average winter weather, levels of traffic volume, and population.

RSG provides the financial basis for local authorities to provide essentially similar levels of service. However, it is for local authorities to prioritise their use of the money available to them, and authorities may use part of the highways maintenance element for other services.