§ 27. Mr. Ernest Daviesasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will provide a list of the major trunk road schemes each costing over £100,000 of which details have been given to local highway authorities as being schemes in which they will be involved up to the contract-letting stage during the years up to and including 1962.
§ The Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (Mr. Harold Watkinson)I have asked certain of my trunk road agent authorities if they can prepare a number of schemes, but this does not imply that constructional work will start at any particular time. I think therefore that to circulate such a list would only be misleading.
§ Mr. DaviesIs not it unfortunate that Parliament is the last place to be informed of proposals for these road schemes? Is not it a fact that a very large number of proposed schemes were enumerated in lists issued by the Central Office of Information regional officers and that those lists have not been made available to the House? Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that hon. Members are interested in the roads which are to be built in their constituencies and that constituency matters are involved?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI quite agree. I will look into that slightly different point. I am most anxious that hon. Members should know what road works are to be carried out in their constituencies, because I am glad to say that they will speedily increase in the next year or two.