§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is 11W the approximate completion year at the current annual rate of expenditure of the trunk road programme for the Greater Manchester area;
(2) if, following Circular 43/75 asking county councils to express their programmes in quantitative terms so they can be properly assessed and progress towards the objectives monitored, he will indicate the trunk road programme for the Greater Manchester area in such terms, including the principal road schemes which the Greater Manchester Council has asked him to adopt as trunk roads.
§ Mr. CarmichaelTrunk road schemes in the Greater Manchester area form part of the national road programme. The broad objectives of the national programme and the proposed annual levels of expenditure are set out in the Government's public expenditure plans for the years 1974–75 to 1978–79 (Cmnd 5879) as amended by the Budget Statement of 15th April. On present plans the trunk road schemes in the Manchester area should be completed by the early 1980s. No decision has been reached on the two schemes proposed for trunking by Greater Manchester Council and it is therefore premature to say what priority would be given to them in the national programme if they were to be accepted.