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A14/A45 (North Northamptonshire)

I congratulate the hon. Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Bone) on securing the debate. Normally, I regard the debates in this Chamber as being slightly less partisan and political. On that note, I will try not to rise to the bait thrown by the hon. Gentleman—although I might not try particularly hard. He cleverly managed to get into a debate on the A14 and A45 a reference to the absence of a hospital in his area. I will not go down that path because I am sure that you would call me out of order, Mrs. Anderson, and rightly so. However, I hope that when he makes a press release of his comments in today's debate, he will make it clear that no party in the House of Commons has pledged to provide enough money to the health service to build a new hospital in his area. I will return to that theme, but you will be relieved to hear, Mrs. Anderson, that I will do so only in relation to the general roads issue. Many hon. Members on both sides of the House have reservations and are disappointed that the regional transport boards in their areas have not prioritised schemes local to their constituencies. It is totally understandable that hon. Members in that situation feel disappointed. However, I return to the theme: no party in the House of Commons has suggested a change—well, perhaps the Liberals, but their economic policies are based largely on rainbows and pixie dust. No serious party has suggested any change at all in the level of funding that is allocated through the regional funding allocation. That presents the hon. Members for Wellingborough and for Kettering (Mr. Hollobone) with a challenge. They talk about schemes that would undoubtedly improve the A45 and the A14, and it is perfectly acceptable and totally understandable that they wish to see improvements in that area. However, if they are disappointed that the regional transport board in their area has not given priority to those schemes and they believe that the schemes should indeed be prioritised before 2016, I think it was—of course, I would never think that they would be anything other than honest—I hope that, given that the pot is limited and will not be added to, they will suggest which other schemes that have been prioritised by the regional transport board in that region should be dropped to allow the schemes relating to the A14 and A45 to proceed.