asked the Minister of Transport whether he has concluded his inquiries about the urgent need for construction of the twin highway ring road leading from Scudamore Road to Hinckley Road, Leicester; and if he will include the construction of this highway in his programme for the immediate future, as it is of importance to the industries in the area.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport (Vice-Admiral John Hughes Hallett):

As my right hon. Friend said in his letter to the hon. Member on 20th November, the ring road is not among the most urgent of schemes needing to be undertaken even in Leicester itself. We do not expect to be able to find a place for it in the road programme during the next few years. The construction of the small section of the ring road between the two roads referred to would have no value for through traffic and we could not justify grant for it.

That is a shocking reply. Does the Parliamentary Secretary realise that this road is being used by and is needed for very important industries, including the A.E.I., and that they are frustrated in not being able to get their products to their home markets as well as to their export markets? What is the idea in not providing for such a road as is asked for in the Question? Is the hon. and gallant Member saying that he proposes to open only 28 miles of motorway this year and also to do nothing in this respect? Will he do nothing to help exports? Will he consult the Secretary of State for Industry and Trade about this matter?

What I am saying is that both we and the city council believe that other schemes in the city should have higher priority than this one.

Is the hon. and gallant Member aware that the city council does not believe that that is so and that it is only because of the parsimonious way in which the Ministry is helping it financially in respect of its roads that it cannot get on with this one, which is essential to the industries of Leicester?

I cannot accept what the hon. Member says.