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Proposed Poole Bridge

The hon. Gentleman raises a valid point, and it is a problem that I recognise. A cap is usually put in place once an agreement is reached, and in December 2001 it was set at £14.14 million. That remains the position, and although I would not rule out discussing the matter with officials, the outcome would depend on the talks that we have. However, I also recognise the determination of the Poole authority to expect only the £14.14 million from the Department, even though there have been changes in the total cost of the scheme. Departmental officials have been in regular contact with representatives from Poole. Frequent updates have been provided, and the people involved should be aware of the current position. Just last week, Poole's chief executive received a written update on the current position of the scheme, and numerous calls have been made and e-mails sent over the past two months. That demonstrates again that the Department has been consistently open on this issue, and that it has shared with Poole all the information in its possession. We recognise the importance of the matter, to the extent that I believe that some of my officials might as well have Poole council on speed dial.