Vol. 401 No. 4
30 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for the Environment whether the Roads Programme, submitted to the European Commission for structural funding, has yet been approved; the changes, if any, which have been made to the programme by the EC; and if the report has not yet been approved, the date on which it is expected that it will be approved.
An operational programme for roads and other transport infrastructure was formally submitted to the EC Commission on 25 May. This is currently being discussed with the Commission and it is expected that the remaining issues of substance will be resolved within a few weeks. Formal approval is expected in September. Arrangements will then be made for publication of the programme. No road projects are being held up pending approval of the programme.
The new programme presents an integrated investment strategy for roads, airports, ports and public transport. In so far as roads are concerned, investment priorities were reviewed in the light of the available EC funding and of the provisions in the community support framework which placed special emphasis on investment which would reduce the impact or peripherality, provided 75 per cent grants for national primary roads and indicated that, in the case of the roads other than national primaries, priority should be given to roads supporting industrial and tourism development. The remaining changes were largely technical.
