HC Deb 28 July 1965 vol 717 cc444-7
13. Mr. Hooson

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to have completed the study of future motorway requirements.

Mr. Tom Fraser

During next year.

Mr. Hooson

In view of the importance of a network of motorways in this country to the economy of the country and to its economic recovery, is the Minister satisfied that the surveys so far undertaken are adequate for our development? In particular, can he say whether it is intended to cut down the development of motorways, in view of the Chancellor's statement yesterday?

Mr. Fraser

In view of my right hon. Friend's statement yesterday, it will be necessary for me to review those projects which would have started within the next six months, but I do not expect that my right hon. Friend's statement will affect the prospect of having 1,000 miles of motorway completed by the early 1970s, and it will not deter me from going ahead with the study which I am making at the moment of future motorway requirements.

Mr. Powell

Could the right hon. Gentleman clear up a difficulty which has been caused by the statement which he made just now? He referred just now to projects which were due to be started in the next six months, and said that they would have to be reviewed. His right hon. Friend's statement yesterday referred to contracts which had not yet been signed and said that, in the case of those contracts—that is, of course, all future projects under the five years' programme—the starting dates will be postponed for six months. Can we have some reconciliation of these statements?

Mr. Fraser

I can understand the right hon. Gentleman's confusion today after what happened to him yesterday—[HON. MEMBERS: "Answer the question."] The right hon. Gentleman has quoted what my right hon. Friend said about postponing starts of capital projects, not only for roads but for other projects over the next six months. All I have said this afternoon is that I do not expect that this will make it impossible to complete a thousand miles of motorway by the early 1970s. That is the position.

Mr. Alfred Morris

Has my right hon. Friend anything further which he could tell the House about the Manchester-Liverpool motorway and that for the so-called "missing link" between the M.1 and the M.6?

Mr. Fraser

I have said that I expect the Midlands link to be completed by 1970–71. In the light of what my right hon. Friend said yesterday, I cannot repeat with any assurance that it will be completed by then, but I hope that it will not be long delayed beyond 1970–71. I wish that the House would recognise, however, that the programme on which I am now working is a programme which my predecessor based upon a 4 per cent. growth in the economy. I inherited the programme, but I did not inherit a 4 per cent. growth in the economy.

Mr. Powell

May I ask the Minister to make this clear, because it is a point of vital importance? It relates to the words in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement yesterday: … the starting dates will be postponed for six months."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 27th July, 1965; Vol. 717, c. 228.] Does this mean that, during the next six months, starting dates will be postponed or does it mean that, in the case of projects for which contracts have not yet been signed, there will be a six months' postponement of the starting dates?

Mr. Fraser

I do not recognise the difference—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—I do not. We are in a period of great economic stress. We have been advised many times by hon. and right hon. Gentlement opposite to make a cut in public spending. We have undertaken—the Chancellor made his statement to this effect yesterday—to do a holding operation on some projects which would have gone ahead in the next six months. Let us see how we get on and let us all do—[Interruption.]—I should have thought that hon. Members in all parts of the House would have wanted to see our economy grow and that they would have wanted to see it so strengthened that we could carry through all the essential public works which we have lying ahead of us. I want to see them carried through with the minimum of delay.

15. Mr. Thorpe

asked the Minister of Transport what is the estimated annual rate of completion of the motorways at present proposed; and what is the rate necessary for them to be completed by the early 1970s.

Mr. Swingler

Work in hand should result in the completion of about 210 miles in this and the next two years. To complete the 1,000 miles by the early 1970s would require an average rate of 70 to 80 miles a year.

Mr. Thorpe

Does not the hon. Gentleman's reply indicate that we are falling behind many of our Continental neighbours in the construction of motorways? Would he accept that the absence of fast communications between centres of production and ports of exit is one of the great obstacles to the export drive in this country? Does he not think that there is a case for reviewing the priorities, in view of the urgent need to step up exports? Finally, what questions and discussions with the First Secretary of State have there been in order that the road communications in this country can help exports?

Mr. Swingler

It may well be that, owing to a considerable amount of negligence in the past, we have fallen well behind other European countries. We are faced with a very difficult situation in order to try to make our way forward. These are regarded as essential projects for communications. We are getting along with them as speedily as we can, according to the economic resources of the country. We are in constant discussion with our colleagues in the Government about how to improve them.

Mr. Powell

Can the hon. Gentleman indicate broadly the value of the motorway projects which will be affected by the Chancellor's statement of yesterday, as now interpreted by his right hon. Friend?

Mr. Swingler

We are engaged, as I told the right hon. Gentleman before, in reviewing the programme at the moment in the light of the criteria stated by the Chancellor yesterday, and, in particular, the points made by the Chancellor about improving communications to the docks and everything connected with the export drive. Announcements will be made shortly about the effects on particular projects.

Mr. Sydney Silverman

Does my hon. Friend realise that every hon. Member of the Opposition—whether the Conservative Opposition or the Liberal Opposition—is wholeheartedly in favour of reducing public expenditure, on the terms that nothing in which he is interested himself is reduced at all?

Mr. Swingler

I realise that very well.