§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Regional Director for the Government Office for the South East will reply to the letter of 21 April from Mr. Chris Fisher on behalf of FLAME relating to air quality within the vicinity of the proposed widening of the M25 in Surrey. [6341]
§ Ms Glenda Jackson[holding answer 1 July 1997]: The Government Office for the South East acknowledged Mr. Fisher's letter on 23 April, explaining that the letter had been forwarded to the Highways Agency as the agency responsible for this scheme, but that it would not be possible to respond before the general election.
The scheme in question now falls within the roads review announced by my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Transport, on 19 June 1997 and is one of those that are subject to the accelerated review procedure. The outcome of the accelerated review will be known by the end of July and the Highways Agency will respond once this is announced.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will refer the representations he has received from FLAME to those bodies charged with assessing the proposed widening of the M25 under the accelerated highways review. [6338]
§ Ms Jackson[holding answer 1 July 1997]: The proposed widening of the M25 between junctions 12 to 15 has been included in the accelerated review of urgent 256W schemes which is currently taking place. In the course of that review, account will be taken of views that have been expressed about the schemes under consideration.