§ 37. Mr. Dormandasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied with the progress being made 303W on the road construction programme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SpeedYes. The programme for completing a primary network of about 3,500 miles of high-quality strategic trunk routes by the early 1980s, announced by my right hon. Friend a year ago, is well on target. Expenditure this financial year will be 14 per cent. greater than last year at constant prices.
§ 51. Mr. Cockeramasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware that the value at constant prices of work in progress on road construction in Great Britain was lower in the last quarter of 1971 than in any quarter since 1967; and what action he proposes to take to remedy this situation.
§ Mr. SpeedThe Government's intentions for public expenditure on road construction, set out in the White Paper "Public Expenditure to 1975–76", indicate expenditure rising to a level higher than any year in the preceding decade and on new and improved major roads in England in 1972–73 is expected to be 14 per cent. higher at constant prices than in 1971–72. In pursuance of that a total of £4,500 million worth of schemes are in preparation.
§ Mr. Redmondasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the estimated cost of the trunk road schemes in the preparation pool at 31st March, 1972.