(1)The Minister may, subject to the approval of the Treasury, make advances out of the moneys provided lay Parliament to any authority, company or person, either by way of grant or by way of loan, or partly in one way and partly in another, and upon such terms and conditions as he thinks fit for any of the following purposes :—
(a)The construction, improvement or maintenance of rail ways, light railways, or tramways :
(b)The construction, improvement or maintenance of roads, bridges, or ferries:
(c)The construction, improvement or maintenance of harbours, docks or piers :
(d)the construction, improvement or maintenance of canals or inland navigations :
(e)The promotion and improvement of transport services by land or water :
And the power of the Treasury on the recommendation of the Development Commissioners to make advances for any of the purposes aforesaid shall cease and determine, except as respects advances for the construction, improvement, or maintenance of harbours in connexion with the improvement and development of fisheries, in which case the Development Commissioners shall consult with the Minister before reporting on any application referred to them:
Provided that the Minister shall not make an advance exceeding one million pounds at any one time for the purpose of any work, unless specially authorised to do so by a Resolution of the House of Commons.
(2)For the purpose of advances for the construction, improvement, or maintenance of roads, the Minister may, after consultation with the Roads Committee hereinafter referred to and the local authorities affected, classify roads in such manner as he thinks fit, and may, by agreement with the local authority, defray half the salary and establishment charges of the engineer or surveyor to a local authority responsible for the maintenance of such roads, subject to the condition that the appointment, retention, and dismissal of such engineer or surveyor, and the amount of such establishment charges, shall be subject to the approval of the Minister.