asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for constructing and improving roads linking North-East and South-East Wales industrial areas to markets in England.

Improvements to the A550–A5117, A483, Chester Southern By-pass and A41 north of Chester will serve to link North-East Wales more effectively with Merseyside and the Manchester area via the M53 and M56. The comprehensive improvement of the A5 and the proposed Telford-M6 Motorway (M54)will link North-East Wales directly to the Midlands. South-East Wales is already connected to London by the M4 and to the Midlands by the M50 and M5. These routes will be supplemented by a comprehensively improved A40 and the proposed new Strensham-Solihull route.