§ Viscount Astorasked Her Majesty's Government:
How they will respond to the call by the National Parking Adjudication Service in its annual report that high-performing councils should not be able to widen the ring fence of their parking accounts to enable surpluses to be used for other council projects under the Traffic Management Act 2004 until they meet a set of standards for civil traffic enforcement. [HL52]
§ Lord Davies of OldhamWe do not intend to alter our policy announced in the local government White PaperStrong Local Leadership Quality Public Services (Cm5237) to give local authorities greater freedom to set spending priorities. Section 95 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 (application of surplus income from parking places) was commenced on 4 October 2004 so that all authorities can now spend surplus income on local environmental improvements, as well as provision of public passenger transport service and road improvements. We intend to make regulations in 2005 giving prescribed local authorities the freedom to spend surplus income for any purpose for which they may lawfully incur expenditure.