§ LORD WOLVERTONMy 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 whether they can say, having regard to the sum of £377.5 million which according to the White Paper on Public Expenditure 1968–1969 to 1973–1974 (Cmnd. 4234) is to be made available during 1970–1971 for the construction and improvement of major roads, what is the total value of such schemes likely to start on trunk and principal roads in the East Anglia Economic Planning Region during the year 1970–1971.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (LORD SHEPHERD)My Lords, in the five counties of the East Anglia Economic Planning Region the total value of schemes for new and improved major roads likely to start during the year 1970–1971 is approximately £7 million, but during the following year it is hoped to start schemes totalling more than twice this amount.
§ LORD WOLVERTONMy Lords, in thanking the noble Lord for his reply, and arising out of his Answer, I should like to ask him whether he does not think that for a growing region like East Anglia some £7 million for the construction and improvement of major roads, proposed for the East Anglia Economic Planning Region for the year 1970–1971 as he has told the House, is a quite inadequate share of the total of £377.5 million appearing in the White Paper?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, perhaps at first sight it would appear inadequate, but the noble Lord will be aware that, with the resources that we have available and that we have designated for road building, we have had to take into account the needs in other parts of the country. We have a scheme to assess the economic rate of return on this development, and it is for this reason that at present more money is spent in other parts of the country than in East Anglia.
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, is that why the figure which the noble Lord has given is less than 2 per cent. of the national total? Could the noble Lord say a little more about the economic return to which he has referred?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, the figure is just below 2 per cent. The manner in which my right honourable friend decides how much of the resources available to him shall be used for road building takes into account the traffic involved, the accident rate and the loss as a consequence of accidents. Accidents with heavy goods vehicles tend to give out a much higher loss to the economy; therefore the more densely-populated and industrial parts of the country have greater resources made available to them. Far more money is spent in those areas than in those which do not carry the same amount of heavy goods traffic.
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the Ministry's own Green Paper a year ago referred to the fact that these routes carry heavy lorries, running East to West across the region? Do the Government recall that in 1967 it was the Ministry itself which advised the East Anglia Economic Planning Council that £250 million would be needed before 1981 to prevent a worse congestion? Does the reply given to the 6 House this afternoon represent a change in the view of the Ministry?
§ LORD SHEPHERDNo, my Lords, we do not dissent from the figures the noble Lord has given as to the needs of East Anglia; but one must balance the needs in other parts of the country. That is what my right honourable friend does.
§ LORD AILWYNMy Lords, would the noble Lord say whether there are any plans for by-passing the two small towns of Saxmundham and Wickham Market on the A.12 road?
§ LORD SHEPHERDNot without notice, my Lords. I have other names, but not those.