HC Deb 04 June 1984 vol 61 cc13-4
11. Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department will be represented at the Severn bridge tolls inquiry commencing in Bristol on 17 July.

Mr. John Stradling Thomas

My Department will be keeping in close touch with the Department of Transport and will be present at the proceedings.

Mr. Hughes

Why do Welsh Office Ministers allow themselves to be treated with such contempt by the Secretary of State for Transport? Surely this inquiry should be held in Wales. Will the Minister appreciate, and convey to his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, that there is considerable anxiety because there has not been a whimper from him about the proposals to increase tolls by 150 per cent., when only last week there were 5-mile queues on this bridge? Is that not a disgusting state of affairs?

Mr. Stradling Thomas

The hon. Gentleman will be well aware, of course, of the answer to the first part of his question. Responsibility for the Severn bridge is in the hands of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. I have never found him contemptuous in any way. We have the closest possible consultations on these matters. As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, I am worried about the queues. He will be aware that a great deal of resurfacing has been done on the bridge, which has led to the difficulties. There is a precedent for the inquiry, because on a previous occasion, under the Administration supported by the hon. Gentleman, an inquiry was held in exactly the same way — on the other side of the crossing.

Mr. Anderson

Does the Minister accept that the tolls and the future of the Severn bridge are of far more importance and relevance to the economy of south Wales than to the economy of the south-west? Who will make representations at the inquiry about the effect of these increased tolls on Welsh industry and investment?

Mr. Stradling Thomas

I am satisfied that many representative bodies and individuals from Wales will make representations. It is not the role of the Welsh Office to make representations at the inquiry, because we are in the closest possible consultation with our colleagues in the Department of Transport.