§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the aggregate annual cost of all the road construction units taken together.
§ Mr. William RodgersAbout £21 million in the financial year ended 31st March 1977.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Transport what staff reductions have been made and what reductions are contemplated affecting road construction units, in the light of the reduced roads programme.
§ Mr. William RodgersThe number of permanent staff employed in the road construction units was reduced by about 110 between 1st April 1976 and 1st April 1977, largely because of spending restrictions imposed during the course of the year. The numbers of staff will continue to fall as contracts are completed and as the design load is reduced.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether the completion or near completion of the trunk road programme will result in redundancies of road construction unit staff; and, if so, what numbers are likely to be involved.
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§ Mr. William RodgersThe near completion of the trunk road programme is unlikely before the 1990s. It is impossible to say now what the staff situation will be at that time.