§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has yet received the results from the analysis of mortar mix samples from the elevated sections of the Midland link motorways; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Chalker[pursuant to the reply, 22 February 1982, c. 320]: I have received legal advice on the question of liability for defects in the Midlands motorways viaducts and, while a final decision on whether to take legal proceedings has not yet been made, I shall shortly be in touch with the contractors concerned.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, Official Report, 28 May, c. 450, about the tender specifications for bearing plinth replacements on the Midland link motorways, he will give details of the public money saved on those contracts where the period between the second and third coats of sealing compound was altered;
(2) pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Perry Barr, on 28 May, Official Report, c. 450, whether all the companies invited to tender for bearing plinth replacements on the Midland link motorways were informed that his Department's agent had altered the terms of the tender specification in respect of the period between applications of the second and third coats of the sealing compound;
(3) how much has been paid to Dabb Chemicals Ltd. in respect of work on bearing plinth replacements on the Midland link motorways in 1981 and 1982 to date in respect of (a)its own contracts and (b)sub-contract work.
§ Mrs. Chalker[pursuant to her reply, 24 June 1982, c. 170–171]: A report from the West Midlands county council on the matters raised by the hon. Member has now been received and is being studied further. The investigation carried out by the council indicates that large amounts of expenditure are not involved and that, although not communicated by WMCC to tenderers, contractors other than Dabb Chemicals Ltd. would have known of the relaxation.