HL Deb 01 July 1992 vol 538 cc771-2

3.12 p.m.

Lord Hayter asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are satisfied with safety arrangements in respect of persons travelling through the Channel Tunnel.

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, the Government have from the outset considered that the safety of travellers in the Channel Tunnel should have the highest priority. An independent Channel Tunnel safety authority of United Kingdom and French experts was established under the Treaty of Canterbury and provides specialist advice on all safety aspects of the Channel Tunnel.

Lord Hayter

My Lords, does the Minister agree that one way of allaying the common anxieties about terrorism and fire felt by passengers who may be going through the Channel Tunnel would be for the safety authority to issue a public report and in particular to emphasise the research and tests upon which it was based?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, as the noble Lord will be aware, the safety authority prepares annual reports that are published.

Lord Clinton-Davis

My Lords, can the Minister indicate whether Eurotunnel, which has usually been responsive to criticisms and has sought to engage the attention of the public, particularly at its headquarters in Folkestone, has met the criticisms made by the Select Committee of this House on the question of safety? Secondly, the Minister said that the safety authority is independent and objective. Does he agree that it is in a precisely comparable position to other bodies of that kind, such as the Civil Aviation Authority and the Health and Safety Executive?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, my answer to the noble Lord's second question is no, because it is a joint authority between the French and ourselves. That puts it into a totally different category from those bodies mentioned by the noble Lord. With regard to his first question, I do not have an up-to-date analysis of exactly what Eurotunnel has done. However, its commercial responsibility is to implement safety to the highest standards.

Lord Tordoff

My Lords, are the Government satisfied that the design of the trains at all stages has taken into account the specialist advice from the safety and human factor inquiry that I understand has already taken place?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, there are a number of safety aspects that need to be taken into account with regard to the train. They are assessed by the safety authority. It will look at every representation put to it.

The Earl of Cork and Orrery

My Lords, are Her Majesty's Government satisfied or will they insist on being satisfied that the fire risk will be no greater than it would be if passengers were to be segregated from their cars?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, my noble friend raises an important point about fire. That is why we have on the safety authority a very good expert—one of the country's best experts—with regard to fire.