asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress regarding the proposed second Severn crossing.

The scheme for the second Severn crossing has some complex and unusual engineering, environmental, financing, contractual and legislative features which the consultants' study report and the announcement on 24 July by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales have shown. It is necessary to examine these aspects very fully before proceeding with the detailed development of the scheme. This is currently in hand.As mentioned in the announcement, we wish to be in a position to provide the second Severn crossing by the mid-1990s if traffic growth warrants it by then and Parliament so decides. This is still the Government's aim.