§ 55 and 56. Lieutenant-Colonel ARCHER-SHEEasked the Prime Minister (1) whether, before consulting the French Government with reference to the proposed Channel Tunnel, the opinion of the Army Council was obtained as. to the strategic advantage or disadvantage of such a tunnel; if so, whether a White Paper may be published putting forth in general terms the advantages of such a tunnel from a military and commercial point of view; (2) whether he is aware that it has been estimated that about 2,000 labourer would be required at each end to construct the Channel Tunnel; if this figure is approximately correct, will he state why it is necessary to spend £20,000,000 or £30,000,000 of public money in order to find employment for 2,000 men; and whether, other things being equal, he will consider the desirability of employing these men on the other useful work of reconstruction, such as housing, canals, etc., in our own country?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI cannot at present add anything to the answers I have already given on this question.
§ Lieutenant-Colonel ARCHER-SHEEWill the right hon. Gentleman not consider the setting up of a Select Committee to consider this question before the country is involved to any greater degree, in view of the great change in all the armaments which has taken place since the last Committee?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI cannot make that definite promise, but I think my previous 2229 answer was entirely misunderstood. I gave no answer which implied that a decision had been taken. My answer was that I thought it was time we should come to a decision, and that I was communicating with the Prime Minister about it. That is exactly the position.