§ Lord SEGALMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the recent severe storms in the English Channel, they are prepared to reconsider their decision on a Channel Tunnel.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE, DEPARTMENT of the ENVIRONMENT (Baroness Birk)My Lords, the possi- 1062 bility of disruption of cross-Channel traffic by had weather has always been one of the stronger arguments in favour of a Channel Tunnel, but there is no prospect of our reviving the project in present economic circumstances.
§ Lord SEGALMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that on the night of 1st December six cross-Channel ferries, carrying thousands of passengers and hundreds of cars and lorries, were forced to spend many hours tossed about on the high seas outside Dover Harbour, in gales of over 100 m.p.h. and driving rain? I Does she think this is a civilised way of crossing the English Channel?
§ Baroness BIRKNo, my Lords, I do not think it is a very civilised way to cross the Channel; but we do not yet have control over the weather.
§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONENext Session!
§ Baroness BIRKQuite right; next Session! My Lords, my noble friend must remember also that fog prevents' planes coming in to land. I inquired today of the tourist authority and they assure me that because of the very low cost of travel by the ferries, people understand the hazards and are prepared to wait. They still think it is worth their while and their money.
§ Lord MONTAGU of BEAULIEUMy Lords, in view of the fact that the existence of the Channel Tunnel would be of enormous benefit to all the Common Market countries, will the Government think about raising this question with the Council of Ministers in order that the cost may be shared by all Common Market countries in the future?
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, the possibility of using EEC funds for the Channel Tunnel was discussed in the European Parliament in February, and the Commission made it clear that they had no funds to devote to the construction of the Channel Tunnel. We would consider carefully any firm European proposal which involved a genuine cost sharing. But that is a slightly different question.
§ Lord BYERSMy Lords, may I ask whether it would be true to say that the only reason the Government have no control over the weather is that it was not in the Manifesto?
§ Lord HOYMy Lords, because of all these storms at sea, would my noble friend consider taking this complaint to another Lord, who might be able to solve the problem?
Lord HAWKEMy Lords, the noble Baroness said that the cross-Channel ferries were so cheap that people wanted to use them. Can she tell us the cost per mile of travelling from Dover to Calais?
§ Baroness BIRKNo, my Lords, without making it up, I could not do that off the cuff. I will let the noble Lord have the information later. I can tell him that it is considerably cheaper than flying, or, if we had one, of using the Channel Tunnel.
§ Lord SEGALMy Lords, would my noble friend not agree that fog is by no means confined to the English Channel and that it has even been known to penetrate your Lordships' House? Could she give an assurance that all the vast construction work so far carried out at both ends of the Tunnel will be kept on a maintenance basis until the day comes—as come it must—when the work will be resumed?
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, the works are being kept on a maintenance basis at a cost of £7,500 a year for the next few years. After that a decision will be taken on what is to happen. We are very well aware of this problem.