To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy for assessing transport proposals, inventions and ideas put up by members of the public to address particular transport problems.

Where ideas or suggestions relate to my Department's responsibilities, they are naturally subject to analysis by my officials. Otherwise they are passed on to the appropriate public transport operator or local highway authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on part-funding research and development of proposals, inventions and ideas proposed by (a) the private sector and (b) private individuals.

The Department welcomes proposals, inventions and ideas for research and development. Practical assistance is being made available by the Department, in association with the Science and Engineering Research Council under a new £5·9 million LINK transport infrastructure and operations programme to be announced very shortly.Under this programme, aimed specifically at small to medium-sized businesses and individuals, up to half the cost of transport research projects can be made available. It is intended that this combination of public and private funding will stimulate a net increase in research into basic transport-related processes and technologies. However the costs of developing specific products for the market place must be borne by the companies and individuals concerned.