asked the Minister of Transport whether the cut of £40 million from planned spending on motorways and trunk roads next year will prevent the Stocksbridge/Penistone bypass from starting as scheduled; and what are the planned starting and finishing dates.

We are reviewing the timing of schemes in the trunk road programme as part of our commitment to contain public expenditure. Revised proposals will be published in a White Paper in the new year and it will then be possible to give an indication of possible starting dates for trunk road projects.