§ 19. Mr. Tom McMillanasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is yet able to indicate the share of the construction industry package to be allocated to his Department and the purposes for which this additional expenditure will be used.
§ Mr. William Rodgers£23 million has been allocated for transport in England in 1978–79. This additional expenditure will be directed mainly to local road schemes.
§ Mr. McMillanI thank my right hon. Friend for that areply. Given the shocking state of the roads in this country, I am pleased to know that maintenance and road improvement must come before new road building.
§ Mr. RodgersI am grateful to my hon. Friend for his comments. The proposals were designed to try to relieve some of the unemployment in the construction industry. I am glad to think that they will help to solve local transport problems as well.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyWill the right hon. Gentleman confirm that he is considering the A2 Rochester relief road in my constituency as part of the local road schemes that he now looks on with favour?
§ Mr. RodgersAlas, I cannot satisfy the hon. Gentleman on that.
§ Mr. CrawfordThe right hon. Gentleman replied to his hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Central (Mr. McMillan) about England. Will he now answer the Question in respect of Scotland and Wales?
§ Mr. RodgersAs I think the hon. Gentleman knows, there is an allocation to 487 try to help the construction industry in Wales and Scotland.