HC Deb 21 July 1987 vol 120 cc257-8

Lords amendment: No. 8, in page 6, line 47, at end insert— (1A) The Secretary of State is authorised by this section to acquire by agreement any land which he is not otherwise authorised to acquire and which is required for the construction and maintenance of the Concessionaires' scheduled works and other works in connection with those works or otherwise for any purposes of the construction or operation by the Concessionaires of the tunnel system.

7 pm

Mr. David Mitchell

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.

Mr. Deputy Speaker

I remind the House that this amendment involves privilege.

Mr. Mitchell

The amendment clarifies an area of legal uncertainty. Some detailed changes have been made to the tunnel scheme, notably at Ashford. Eurotunnel has already purchased additional land by agreement. It will need to seek planning permission in the normal way. If it uses additional land as part of the tunnel system, it is important that it is covered by the same ground rules. The Secretary of State must hold the freehold and grant Eurotunnel a lease. The amendment establishes the Secretary of State's ability to acquire the freehold of the land.

Mr. Roger Gale (Thanet, North)

The clause would allow the Secretary of State to make available land for the construction of, or for purposes connected with, the construction of the tunnel. I have paid tribute to the courtesy and sympathy with which my hon. Friend has responded to the needs of north-east Kent. I wish that I could pay a similar tribute to Transmanche Ltd. but I cannot.

When the project was mooted, one of the blandishments that was offered out to Members representing north-east Kent was the prospect of increased employment, not least in the hotels in the area. At one stage, it was suggested that Transmanche Ltd. might need 1,000 bed nights a week for its construction workers and that those beds could be provided in some of the emptier—during the winter—hotels and guest houses in Thanet. British Rail said that it might be willing to lay on special trains from Thanet to Cheriton to convey such workers from our hotels to the construction site.

As a result of that proposal, the chief executive of Thanet district council wrote to Transmanche Ltd. and made some semi-formal propositions. Transmanche Ltd. replied, effectively saying that it was unwilling to transport workers from the Thanet area. It has said that it is more than willing to bus construction workers from London, from the Medway towns, from Ashford and From pretty well anywhere except Thanet.

I make the point now because I hope that my hon. Friend the Minister will respond and that he will take great care before granting further land to Transmanche Ltd. until it honours some of the undertakings that it appeared at one stage to have given to use the facilities that are already available in north-east Kent.

Mr. David Mitchell

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for drawing my attention to that matter. He may be aware that it was discussed by the joint consultation committee which meets in Kent. In the light of what he said, I shall ensure that the matter is raised again at the committee's next meeting, when I expect that Transmanch e Ltd. will be represented. I hope that, with that assurance, my hon. Friend will support the amendment.

Question put and agreed to.

Lords amendment agreed to. [Special entry.]

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