Mr. Robin F.Cookasked the Secretary of State for Transport what new studies he has commissioned to investigate the effects of trunk road construction on regional economic development; and how many civil servants are employed in research in this field.
§ Mr. William Rodgers:I have not commissioned any new studies on this topic recently. The role of trunk roads in regional development is, where appropriate, considered in the development of regional strategies and of particular road schemes. No civil servants are, however, employed full-time on studies directly on this point.