asked the Minister for the Environment the total budget administered by his Department for each of the past five years and the total amount of that budget allocated to the provision of: (a) community and recreational facilities; (b) roads, (c) housing; (d) the purchase of land for housing development; and if he proposes any change in the ratios involved.
Written Answers. - Departmental Budget Allocations.
290.
The table which follows gives for the years 1973/74 to 1977 the information sought by the Deputy on the Department's total financial allocation and the parts of it devoted to housing and roads. Funds for community and recreational facilities are not specifically distinguished in the Department's Vote and the public capital programme and consequently it is not possible to include figures for this heading in the table. The cost of land acquired for local authority housing constitutes part of the housing allocation; it is not possible to segregate land acquisition costs from the other costs of local authority housing construction.
The financial allocations for the various services of the Department are not settled in accordance with predetermined ratios but have traditionally taken account of such factors as the level of commitments, the needs of the various programmes, the over-all budgetary position and so on. These criteria are likely to continue to be the main influences in the settlement of the financial provisions to be made annually for the various services.
Following is the table:
|
1973-74 |
1974 9 months |
1975 |
1976 |
1977 |
|
|
£m. |
£m. |
£m. |
£m. |
£m. |
|
|
All services |
123.9 |
127.0 |
197.9 |
202.5 |
228.8 |
|
Roads |
22.1 |
18.9 |
24.1 |
25.0 |
31.0 |
|
Housing |
80.0 |
88.3 |
142.0 |
136.5 |
138.0 |
Note: The figures for the years 1973-74 to 1976 are the outturn on the Department's vote, the Public Capital Programme and the Road Fund. In the case of 1977, the figures are the amounts provided in the Department's vote (including two supplementary estimates) and the estimated amounts to be provided through the public capital programme and from the Road Fund.