HC Deb 22 July 1976 vol 915 c563W
Mr. Giles Shaw

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the inspector's ruling at the M3 inquiry at Winchester, he will confirm that discussion on the necessity for a road scheme is admissible at public inquiries of this kind.

Dr. Gilbert

Inspectors at inquiries into road schemes have discretion to hear any evidence which, in their opinion, is relevant to the inquiry. The traffic information on which the need for a particular road is based can also be relevant to the side road connections and land requirements that are the subjects of the current inquiry at Winchester.