§ 75. Mr. SHINWELLasked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the present position as regards the proposal to construct a foot bridge across the Forth?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI have not yet received the report of the consulting engineers on the subject of the suggested road bridge over the Forth, but I hope that it will reach me during, the course of the next two or three months.
§ Mr. SHINWELLDo I understand that two or three months will elapse before the right hon. and gallant Gentleman receives the first report relating to the survey, and is that not a very long time? Is it not possible to expedite the issue of the report?
§ Colonel ASHLEYNo. If you leave to a firm of engineers the duty of carrying out a survey, you must allow them to report in their own time.
§ Mr. SHINWELLI accept that, but is it not true to say that this matter has been in the hands of the engineers for 18 months, and is it not about time that they made their report?
§ Colonel ASHLEYPersonally, I hope it will be earlier than two or three months, but I put it at that to be on the safe side.
§ Mr. E. BROWNIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not aware that statements have appeared in the Scottish Press within the last 10 days to the effect that the report has already been made?
§ Colonel ASHLEYNo, Sir, I am not aware of that fact. The report has not yet reached me, but I hope it will reach me by the end of this month.