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37. Mr. Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects the M66 from Denton to Middleton to open. [483]
Dr. Strang: As I said earlier, we are committed to a strategic review of the trunk road programme. A key early decision will be on how to handle those schemes at or near construction, of which the M66 scheme is a prime example.
Mr. Bennett: Will my right hon. Friend accept that there was great disappointment in Tameside at the delay in letting the final contract for the scheme? The traffic congestion caused by the failure to complete it has caused great anxiety to my constituents. Will he give an assurance that it will be completed at an early date?
Dr. Strang: My hon. Friend is right and I am well aware of the importance, to Manchester and surrounding
areas, of the scheme, which would effectively complete an outer-city bypass for Manchester. He has taken a great interest in the scheme and I assure him that we shall soon announce those schemes on which we shall have to take decisions in advance of the review.
Mr. Bernard Jenkin: How will the Minister justify continuing to answer for the Government on English roads as a Scottish Member of Parliament, when he supports proposals that would deny any say to Welsh and English Members on roads in Scotland? Does he think that that is a sustainable proposition?
Dr. Strang: This is the United Kingdom Parliament, which includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and I am privileged to serve in it.
38. Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to review existing maximum speed limits. [484]
Dr. Strang: Speed contributes to a third of all road accidents. I am concerned to reduce its impact and I shall consider a range of measures to manage speed, including speed limits.
Mr. Hinchliffe: I welcome my right hon. Friend to his new post. Is he aware of the increasing numbers of people,
especially the elderly, who are effectively trapped in their own homes, as they are unable to cross nearby roads because of the speed and intensity of local traffic? Will he consider the proposal made by one of his predecessors, as an Opposition spokesman, to reduce speed limits outside all schools to 20 mph, which would immediately improve the safety of many children and young people?
Dr. Strang: I am grateful to my hon. Friend, who raises a number of very important points. I should point out to him--this covers part of what he said--that the failure to observe the 30 mph speed limit in our urban areas is of particular concern. That speed limit is frequently ignored and often a contributor to accidents.
Mr. Ian Bruce: Given that the speed limit on motorways is only 70 mph but on winding roads in Dorset, for instance, it is 60 mph, should we not be considering raising the maximum speed limit on motorways and other such roads and bringing some sense to what seems a nonsensical set of speed limits?
Dr. Strang: I cannot see a case for raising speed limits. Something like a third of all accidents are caused by excessive speed. Road accident statistics for 1996 have not yet been published, but in 1995, 1,200 people were killed in accidents associated with speeding.
The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Donald Dewar): I beg to move,
That the following provisions shall apply to the remaining proceedings on the Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Bill:--
Committee
1.--(1) Proceedings in Committee shall be completed at the sittings this day and tomorrow.
(2) At the sitting this day, proceedings on any amendments to Clause 1--
(a) which may be selected, and
(b) which would amend that Clause at any place before the word 'Scotland' at line 6 of page 1 of the Bill,
shall be brought to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, at half past Seven o'clock.
(3) At the sitting this day, proceedings on any amendment to Clause 1--
(a) which may be selected, and
(b) which would leave out the word 'Scotland' at line 6 of page 1 of the Bill and insert other words in its place,
shall be brought to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, at half past Eight o'clock.
(4) At the sitting tomorrow, proceedings on any amendment to Clause 1--
(a) which may be selected, and
(b) which would leave out the words 'and tax-varying powers of a Scottish Parliament' at lines 6 and 7 of page 1 of the Bill and insert other words in their place,
shall be brought to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, at half past Four o'clock.
(5) At the sitting tomorrow, proceedings on any amendment to Clause 1--
(a) which may be selected, and
(b) which would leave out only the words 'tax-varying powers' at line 6 of page 1 of the Bill and insert other words in their place,
shall be brought to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, at Six o'clock.
(6) At the sitting tomorrow, the remaining proceedings on Clause 1 and proceedings on any amendments to Clause 2--
(a) which may be selected, and
(b) which would amend the Bill at any place before the word 'propositions' at line 7 of page 2 of the Bill,
shall be brought to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, at a quarter past Six o'clock.
(7) At the sitting tomorrow, proceedings on any amendment to Clause 2--
(a) which may be selected, and
(b) which would leave out the word 'propositions' at line 7 of page 2 of the Bill,
shall be brought to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, at Eight o'clock.
(8) At the sitting tomorrow, the remaining proceedings in Committee shall be brought to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, at half past Eight o'clock.
(9) On the conclusion of the proceedings in Committee the Chairman shall report the Bill to the House without putting any Question and, if he reports the Bill with amendments, the House shall proceed to consider the Bill as amended without any Question being put.
3 Jun 1997 : Column 189 shall be required of a Motion made at the next sitting by a Minister of the Crown for varying or supplementing the provisions of this Order.
Mr. Peter Atkinson (Hexham): On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Today's Question Time has confirmed our worst fears that the decision to merge the Departments of the Environment and of Transport has led to a significant reduction in Back Benchers' opportunities to question Ministers on matters of crucial importance to our constituents. In a rural constituency such as mine, environment and transport issues matter. My constituents are more concerned with the funding of local authority and rural schools than they are, with the best will in the world, with international development. As usual, the decision was taken without consulting the House. Ministers took the decision no doubt to solve a diplomatic problem concerning the Deputy Prime Minister. May I urge you, Madam Speaker, to use the influence that you have in this area to reverse the decision?
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