§ Mr. Thorneasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the total estimated cost of road schemes authorised by him but not yet under construction; and how many of the schemes authorised have been the subject of a debate in Parliament;
(2) how many miles of new motorway or trunk road are (a) authorised by him but not yet under construction and (b) planned but not yet authorised by him in Great Britain.
§ Dr. GilbertIn my right hon. Friend's firm programme there are 558 miles of new motorway and trunk road with an estimated cost at November 1974 prices of £940 million. Mileages of road proposals not in the firm programme are only provisional and can change considerably during the planning process. Individual schemes may be subjects of debate at all stages of this process and it would be difficult to ascertain how many of those presently authorised have been mentioned in debate. Since February 1974 only one Adjournment debate has covered a scheme in the firm programme.
Roads in Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. and right hon. and learned Friends the Secretaries of State.