asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his conclusions on the timing of the construction of the southern relief road in Leighton Buzzard following his recent meeting with Bedfordshire County Council; and whether his conclusions include any special financial assistance that the Government would consider for this road.

My right hon. Friend will not form conclusions on this scheme until his consultations with the local authorities concerned with the Swindon-Oxford-A1 route as a whole are further advanced.