§ 11. Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now respond to the report of the Transport Committee on tolled crossings, H.C. 250–1, published on 19 February.
§ Mr. RidleyI am considering the report, which was published on 12 March. I shall respond as soon as possible.
§ Mr. HughesBefore going ahead with his proposal in October this year to appeal against the High Court decision to reject his decision to increase tolls on the Severn bridge by 150 per cent., will the right hon. Gentleman consider the horrific unemployment in Wales? If he does, he will be more likely to respond positively to the recommendations of the Select Committee.
§ Mr. RidleyIt would be wrong to prejudge my response to the Select Committee report and to comment on matters before the Appeal Court in relation to the Severn bridge tolls. I fear that the hon. Gentleman must be disappointed in his desire to know my views on those matters.
§ Mr. HickmetWhat did my right hon. Friend mean when he told the Select Committee that the Humber bridge was an exceptional problem? Does he concur with the report of the Select Committee that the Humber bridge is in an impossible financial situation and is losing more than £20 million a year, which is the deficit over income? Does he agree that the time has come to abolish the toll on this bridge, which is increasingly used by fewer and fewer people?
§ Mr. RidleyI agree that the circumstances in which the Humber bridge was built were indeed exceptional. It is the only example of the cost of winning a by-election that is known to this House. I fear that it falls to the Conservative Government to sort out this problem, and for some time I have asked the Humber Bridge Board to put forward proposals for discussion. It has just asked for a meeting, and that will be held as soon as possible to determine the best way forward.