§ Mr. Madelasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, following the letter from the Minister of State of 5 December, to the hon. Member for Bedfordshire, South-West about the Leighton Linsdale bypass, it remains his policy to give a 100 per cent. grant for this scheme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe letter sent to Bedfordshire county council on 5 December drew attention to defects in its orders for the bypass and invited it to consider how to remedy them. My right hon. Friend has for the moment deferred a decision on the scheme following the public inquiries held in the summer. The approval in principle of its grant application still stands, but payment of the grant will depend on the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures for the scheme.