asked the Minister of Transport whether the geological strata of the Swanley-Sevenoaks section of the M25 have posed particularly difficult problems; whether the geological investigation was carried out after the publication of the draft schemes and orders; and what bearing this has on the validity of the cost benefit analysis presented at the inquiry.

In accordance with the Department's normal practice, preliminary geological investigations were undertaken in the general corridor of the route before publication of the draft schemes and orders; some additional work was carried out after publication. As the points raised by the hon. Member were discussed at the recent public inquiry I am unable to comment further until the inspector's report has been received and a decision announced by my right hon. Friends the Minister of Transport and the Secretary of State for the Environment.