§ 55. Mr. THURTLEasked the Prime Minister if he is prepared to allow the House an opportunity of discussing and voting upon a Motion that the construc 35 tion of a Channel tunnel, without assistance from public funds, should be permitted?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI would refer my hon. Friend to what I have repeatedly said on this subject, and particularly to the replies which I gave on the 5th June to supplementary questions arising out of the Private Notice Question put to me by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Birmingham West (Sir A. Chamberlain).
§ Mr. THURTLEDoes the Prime Minister not think that this is a question on which the Government might take the initiative, and that as this is essentially a non-party matter the House might be asked to act as a council of State?
§ 56. Mr. THURTLEasked the Prime Minister if, at the time the Government came to its decision to veto the construction of a Channel tunnel, it was aware that private interests, without Exchequer assistance, were prepared to find the necessary finance for the boring of the experimental tunnel?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI would refer my hon. Friend to the White Paper, where the point raised in the question is referred to. I might add that I would refer him specifically to the first completed paragraph on page 3.