17 and 18.
asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (1) the authorised expenditure for new road works in each region under his control for the current financial year;
(2) the authorised expenditure for new road works in each county in Wales for the current financial year.
My right hon. Friend does not authorise expenditure on new road works for particular financial years; his authorisations are for the Road Fund share of the total cost of schemes, some of which will be spread over several years. I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table, which at this stage can only be very provisional, showing the possible distribution between the highway divisions this year of Road Fund commitments for works of major improvement and new construction. We cannot yet estimate the distribution of commitments by counties.
Following is the table:
| Division | Approximate estimate of Road Fund commitments for major improvements and new construction to be authorised in 1954–55 |
| £ million | |
| Metropolitan | 4·3 |
| South Eastern | 1·0 |
| South Western | 1·1 |
| Midland | 1·0 |
| Wales and Monmouth | 1·3 |
| North Western | 0·9 |
| Scotland | 5·1 |
| North Eastern | 1·1 |
| North Midland | 1·2 |
| Eastern | 0·6 |