§ 18. Mr. Callaghanasked the Minister of Transport when the hon. Member for Cardiff, South-East, can expect a reply to his letter of 22nd March about the supply of steel wire for the Severn Bridge.
§ Mr. MarplesI have written to the hon. Member on this matter.
§ Mr. CallaghanIs the Minister aware that suspicions have been caused because one of the firms of the consortium is one of the few firms which can supply this wire? Will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that because it is a member of the consortium the firm will not get an unnecessary advantage 1453 over South Wales firms which equally could supply the same sort of wire and that the South Wales firms will have the same opportunity of tendering for it?
§ Mr. MarplesThe responsibility for the design and construction must rest with the consulting engineers. They are paid for the job and it is their responsibility. However, I will certainly look at the point.