§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for Transport why he will not earmark specific funds for the construction of a bypass of Uttoxeter in the near future.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyIt is for Staffordshire county council, as the local highway authority, to make a bid for capital funding of a bypass of Uttoxeter when it is ready to proceed with a scheme. At that stage it would be considered for support along with other schemes as part of the annual transportation policies and programme process. As I indicated in my reply on 24 October, Staffordshire county council is not yet in a position to make such a bid.