§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government when the report of the inspector who conducted the public inquiry into Oxford's traffic problems is going to be published.]
§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (LORD CHESHAM)My Lords, next month.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, would the noble Lord accept a note of gratitude from me for having made that Answer, but could he give me a more specific date than "next month"? Doubtless he will realise that it is now over four years since your Lordships' House agreed to the setting up of this Committee.
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, I am not quite sure which Committee the noble Lord is talking about. The actual Inquiry, if we are talking about the report, was set up last year. Rather late in the year we had a debate about it, I think in November, and it was about that time that it was set up—not four years ago. I am sorry I cannot give a precise date at the moment, because the report is now being reproduced and there is, in connection with it and which is a very important part of it, a map which is rather complicated. It is very necessary that it should be properly reproduced so that the report will make sense. The difficulty is rather a technical one which prevents my giving an actual date.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHI am grateful to the noble Lord. Will he forgive me for a slip of the tongue? I used the word "Committee"; I meant "Inquiry".
§ LORD SALTERMy Lords, could I ask whether there will be every opportunity for a discussion of the report, when published, before the Minister comes to any kind of decision?
§ LORD CHESHAMYour Lordships will probably remember that an undertaking was given by the noble Marquess, Lord Salisbury, some while ago, and I repeated that undertaking last November, that there would be opportunity for discussion in your Lordships' House before anything was decided about it.