§ Mr. Conlanasked the Secretary of State for Transport, given the level of resources available for trunk road construction, how many of the schemes listed in the main list of schemes in preparation in the roads White Paper will be started in the period scheduled; how many on the reserve list schemes will be started; and how many of the schemes in the suspended list will have work resumed.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeAs was made clear in the White Paper, we deliberately over-programmed in the expectation that some schemes would meet unexpected delays. Six of the schemes listed in the main programme for 1980 and 1981 are now unlikely to be ready to start before 1982; we expect all the others so listed to be started by the end of the year, provided there are no unforeseen delays in the final stages of preparation.
We also hope to start at least some of the reserve list schemes and possibly one or more urgent schemes in the 1982 list which will, after all, be ready this year.
How much we can do will, however, depend on developments during the year, including the rate of inflation and progress on schemes already under way. For the prospects beyond 1981, the hon. Member will have to await the up-dating of the programme later this year.