Written question asked by Theresa Villiers (Conservative) on Monday, 15 October 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 17 October 2007. It was answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Labour) on Monday, 29 October 2007 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Roads: Tolls

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department has spent on a possible national road pricing scheme; and how many (a) departmental staff and (b) external consultants have worked on her Department's road pricing policy.

Answer: In response to the first part of the question, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the then Minister of State for Transport, the hon. Member for South Thanet (Dr. Ladyman) to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) on 14 June 2007, Official Report, column 1273W (UIN 141864).As for numbers of staff and external consultants working on road pricing, I would also refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 14 June 2007, Official Report, column 1273W (UIN 141863). There have been minor fluctuations in these numbers with normal turnover of personnel but they remain a fair representation of the size of the road pricing team.

Secondary information