HC Deb 19 April 1995 vol 258 cc143-4W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in respect of the trunk road schemes which have been assessed by the use of the cost-benefit analysis method since 1979 and which have now been constructed what was(a) the capital cost of the scheme as included in the COBA assessment submitted to the public inquiry, (b) the net present value of the scheme as calculated in that assessment, (c) the actual capital cost of building the scheme and (d) the net present value of the scheme of the COBA assessment submitted to the public inquiry, if it had used the actual capital costs of the scheme in the calculation. [17786]

Mr. Watts

This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon Member.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Ms Joan Walley, dated 19 April 1995: As you know, Mr. John Watts, Minister for Railways and Roads, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for a list of those road schemes assessed by COBA since 1979 and which have now been constructed; in each case giving (a) the capital cost estimate submitted to the public inquiry, (b) the net present value estimated at the public inquiry, (c) the actual cost of building the scheme and (d) the estimate of the net present value had the actual final cost been used in the calculation. I regret that the information you asked for is not held centrally by the Agency and given the number of schemes involved a file search to extract it could only be done at disproportionate cost. However, I can say that a recent study of 6 schemes has indicated that the overall post-construction net present value is very close to that predicted prior to public inquiry on those schemes.