§ Mr. Brooksasked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed motorway link between Liverpool and the M.6; and what is his present estimate of the rate of return upon investment in this project.
Mr. Bob Brown:t is now the standard practice of the Department to make a full cost /benefit analysis of all major inter-urban road schemes before they are accepted into the firm programme to ensure that they give an acceptable rate of return. This was confirmed in the case of this section of the M.62. Other factors than the rate of return are, however, taken into account in determining the priority of schemes for new and improved roads, and it is not the practice to publish rates of return on individual schemes.