§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in the Official Report details of: (a) the cost of counsel and (b) the cost of time of his own staff, for road inquiries in 1973, 1974 and 1975.
§ Mr. William RodgersCounsel who appear on behalf of my Department are engaged and paid by the Treasury Solicitor's Department. I am told that the costs, including VAT, in 1973, 1974 and 1975 of counsel instructed by the Crown in regard to road inquiries in England and Wales were about £26,000, £52,000 and £42,000, respectively. I regret that the cost of the time spent by the staff of my Department in connection with trunk road inquiries cannot be separately apportioned.