§ 22. Mr. Thorpeasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the Fremington Parish Council wrote to the office of the divisional road engineer of the Ministry of Transport, in July 1961, raising the question of trunk road lighting at Fremington, and that a bill of quantities was prepared by his Department in January, 1962, but that, despite letters from the Devon County Council and the hon. Member for Devon, North, his Department has not reached a decision in this matter; and whether he will take action to prevent further delay.
§ Mr. HayMy right hon. Friend's Department gave formal approval to the Council's current proposals on 30th October, last. The delay, which I greatly regret, was due to quite exceptional circumstances which I have explained to the hon. Member, in a letter which I have sent him today.
§ Mr. ThorpeMay I thank the hon. Gentleman for his reply and also for his courtesy in giving me a full explanation of the circumstances, which were due to a regrettable cause? Would not the hon. Gentleman agree that this matter has been hanging fire for two years? If the illness of one member of his Department is able to throw the rest of the whole Department out of gear, does it not suggest that the administrative arrangements could be improved? Could the hon. Gentleman assure us that this sort of thing will not happen again?
§ Mr. HayI do not want to elaborate why this happened, as I have explained the matter already very fully. It is quite apparent to me from studying the facts of the matter, as I have now done at great length, that this sort of situation is unlikely to repeat itself as it was principally because of the disability of the official concerned. Normally this sort of thing would not happen at all.