HC Deb 03 July 1963 vol 680 cc374-5
45. Mr. Steele

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of dual carriageway have been constructed in Scotland in the last five years.

Mr. Leburn

Between 1st January, 1958, and 31st March, 1963, work has been completed on widening or reconstructing approximately 70 miles of trunk road in Scotland to provide dual carriageways. The information for classified roads is not readily available.

Mr. Steele

Is the hon. Member satisfied, since his previous answer indicated that no motorways at all have been constructed in Scotland and only a meagre number of miles of dual carriageway road, that enough has been done in this matter?

Mr. Leburn

In the first few years after the roads in Scotland became the responsibility of the Secretary of State, funds for new construction and major improvement of trunk roads were being authorised at the rate of £3 million a year. In the last two years that expenditure has been doubled, and further increases are proposed. I believe that the results from completions will see a great speeding up in the near future.

Mr. Steele

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that it is not the amount of money authorised but the amount of work being done which concerns us? Although this money has been authorised it is not being spent.

Mr. Leburn

If the money is not there to spend, the work will not be done.

Miss Herbison

Surely the hon. Gentleman cannot ride off on the suggestion that his Department has been responsible for roads only since roads were taken over by the Secretary of State? Is he not aware that the Government have been responsible for roads for 12 years? Is he further aware that the main artery between Glasgow and Edinburgh is still awaiting completion of a dual carriageway, which should have been finished long ago?

Mr. Leburn

I announced only the other day that we had decided to make a motorway on 14 miles of the Edinburgh-Glasgow road between New house and Newbridge.

Mr. Lawson

As the Minister of Transport is making a much better job of building roads—bad though that is—than the Secretary of State for Scotland, will the hon. Member ask the Secretary of State if he cannot hand this job back again to the Minister of Transport?

Mr. Leburn

I travelled last Friday from London to Edinburgh and made better time in Scotland than I did in England.

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