asked the Minister of Transport why Southend has been omitted from the list of sites for classified road schemes of over £300,00 grant value which have been authorised for certain other county boroughs for the years 1961–62, 1962–63 and 1963–64; and whether he proposes to arrange for such a grant in respect of Southend before the end of 1961.

I have included in the three-year classified road programme for 1961–62–1963–64 those schemes which appeared to command the highest priority throughout the country. I see no prospect of approving any over £300,000 scheme for Southend in that period.