asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether the cost of repairing the cracks in the Reigate to Leatherhead section of the M25 will be paid for from public funds; and if he will make a statement.
As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Reigate (Mr. Gardiner) on 23 October, under the provisions of the contract, it is for the Department's consulting engineers, W. S. Atkins and Partners, which is the engineer for the contract, to determine where the responsibility lies. That determination will be binding unless referred to arbitration by the Department or the contractor.I have no contractual powers to impose a timetable on the engineer to produce his determination, although I have explained I would like it to be dealt with expeditiously. This is, however, a complex technical matter which requires thorough investigation and careful consideration.
| Scheme Title | |||
| Value (£ million) | Date awarded | ||
| M4 | Resurfacing junctions 18 and 17, Wilts | 0·2 | 18 April 1983 |
| A40 | Overlay from Sandhills-Holton, Oxon | 0·5 | 27 April 1983 |
| M1 | Strengthening of carriageways and hardshoulders in Bedfordshire | 2·7 | 1 July 1983 |
| A38 | Strengthening Voss farm and Lee hill, Devon | 0·6 | 2 September 1983 |
| M4 | Reconstruction junctions 17 and 16, Wiltshire | 1·5 | 5 April 1984 |
| M1 | Strengthening of carriageways in Bedfordshire | 1·7 | 15 May 1984 |
| M5 | Resurfacing, and repairs to expansion joints, Oldbury viaduct, West Midlands | 0·1 | 24 May 1984 |
| A38 | Major strengthening, Burton-on-Trent bypass, stage 3, Staffordshire | 0·9 | 4 June 1984 |
| A17 | Remedial works, Heckington bypass, Lincolnshire | 1·0 | 26 June 1984 |
| M1 | Reconstruction junctions 14 and 15, Buckinghamshire | 1·5 | 3 August 1984 |
| M5 | Widening and reconstruction Warndon-Catshill advance works, Hereford and Worcestershire | 3·2 | 14 September 1984 |
| A303 | Major maintenance, Mere bypass, Wiltshire | 0·2 | 1 November 1984 |
| A419 | Resurfacing at Stratton St. Margaret bypass, Wiltshire | 0·4 | 20 November 1984 |
| M4 | Overlay junctions 18 and 19, Avon | 0·3 | 25 February 1985 |
| M5 | Resurfacing junctions 3–4, Hereford and Worcestershire | 1·0 | 22 March 1985 |
| M5 | Resurfacing junctions 12–14, Gloucestershire | 2·1 | 25 March 1985 |