§ Mr. StephenTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made by the group of companies studying the feasibility of building a gas interconnector between the United Kingdom and the continent.
§ Mr. EggarI understand that the group will shortly be inviting potential users to participate in an interconnector linking the United Kingdom and Belgian gas grids. I welcome this initiative by the industry. It is an important step towards realising the gas trade opportunities this link will provide. It will be for the Government to negotiate with the Belgian Government the necessary treaty for a pipeline crossing our continental shelf boundary, and I am writing to the chairman of the group to assure him of our readiness to do so.