§ 9. Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he can now say when he proposes to 1598 announce details of the Government's plans to nationalise sections of the road haulage industry.
§ Mr. MulleyNot at present, Sir.
§ Mr. HowellIs the Minister aware that serious damage is being caused by the uncertainty that is hanging over the road haulage industry? Does he appreciate that it is important that he should make a statement very soon?
§ Mr. MulleyI have no evidence of any damage due to uncertainty. Of course, I am considering the extension of public ownership of road haulage in the context of the criteria that we set out in our election manifesto.
§ Mr. Tom KingWill the Minister give an undertaking that before considering the nationalisation of the haulage industry the interests and views of all those who work in it will be consulted?
§ Mr. MulleyNaturally before taking any decision of this kind there will be full consultations with all those concerned.
§ Mr. LoughlinWill the right hon. Gentleman give the House some idea of the proportionate cost to the taxpayer of road building on the basis of usage by the road haulage companies? For example, will he tell us, on that basis, what a motorway costs per mile? The road haulage companies use motorways extensively in the pursuit of their business.
§ Mr. MulleyI cannot give an answer off the cuff. It would be difficult in any event to give a figure of the cost of a road strictly in the road haulage sense, because all our roads are used by different categories of transport. For a dual three-lane motorway the cost per mile is approximately £1 million.