§ Mr. GouldTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions the Government have reached in reviewing methods to achieve a balance between economic and environmental costs and benefits in transport planning.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment—SACTRA—is currently reviewing the Department's methods of environmental assessment for trunk roads, and in particular the scope and methods for putting monetary values on environmental effects. I expect to receive its report in the late summer. The Department gathers information on the full range of economic, environmental and other costs and benefits, to inform decision making, whether or not the information can be quantified or expressed in monetary values.