§ Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated expenditure on motorways during 1971–72; how many miles of road this covers; and when he expects the present motorway programme to be completed.
§ Mr. Graham PageMy right hon. Friend plans to spend some£137 million this financial year on building trunk road motorways in England. This sum will include residual payments on motorways already open and certain payments for land acquisition and the preparation of schemes starting after 1971–72; but most of the expenditure will be on the 266 miles of motorway under construction as as 30th April this year and the further 100 miles or so which it is planned to start during the rest of this financial year. The first 1,000 miles of motorway in England and Wales will be completed by about the end of 1972.