§ Sir G. Gibsonasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport if he can indicate the proposed routes to be served by the proposed national motorways; how the figure of £100,000 per mile at pre-war prices is arrived at; 176W the average cost per acre of the land to be appropriated; and if he has any information as to the estimated cost per mile of the German autobahn roads.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI would remind my hon. Friend that Parliament has not yet granted the, Statutory powers required for the construction of motorways. I am, therefore, unable to say what routes they will serve. The figure of £100,000 per mile is the best estimate of the possible cost which my advisers can make. They calculate that the cost of land and accommodation works may be between 5 and 10 per cent. of this sum. No useful comparison can be made with the cost of the German autobahnen, which were largely constructed by German slave labour from concentration camps.