§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what representations(a) his Department and (b) the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority have received from the Kent Fire Service regarding proposals to replace fire crews from Kent by crews from Eurotunnel at the Channel Tunnel; [37709]
(2) if (a) his Department and (b) the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority have been consulted by Eurotunnel regarding its proposal to replace fire crews from the Kent Fire Brigade with Eurotunnel fire crews at the Channel Tunnel; and if he will make a statement; [37707]
(3) if he will place in the Library copies of the correspondence between Eurotunnel and the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority relating to the replacement of Kent Fire Brigade crews by Eurotunnel fire crews at the Channel Tunnel. [37708]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonNo proposal has been received from Eurotunnel to replace fire crews from the Kent Fire Brigade with Eurotunnel fire crews at the Channel Tunnel. If such a proposal is made, it will be considered by the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority who will advise the Intergovernmental Commission. Any such correspondence between the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority and Eurotunnel is covered by Clause 33.3 of the Channel Tunnel Concession Agreement of 1986.
Eurotunnel has employed a consultant, Dawsons International, to assist in conducting a review of the staffing of the First Line of Response (FLOR) teams. We understand Eurotunnel has given notice of termination to the current providers of its FLOR personnel—Kent Fire Brigade and the Sapeurs Pompiers of Calais—as a precautionary contractual measure which would take effect only if the results of the study into the staffing of FLOR teams conclude that it would be better to have directly employed labour.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 15 January 1998,Official Report, column 261, on what basis clause 33.3 was initially included in the Channel Tunnel Treaty. [38154]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThis clause was originally included in the 1986 Channel Tunnel Concession Agreement, at the request of the Concessionaires, to protect commercially sensitive material.
§ Mr. OttawayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what discussions his Department has had with Central Railways about the possible construction of a freight line from the Midlands to the Channel Tunnel; [38105]
288W(2) what representations his Department has had from Central Railways about the possible construction of a freight line from the Midlands to the Channel Tunnel. [38106]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonWe have received a number of representations from Central Railways about this scheme. My officials have had one recent meeting with the promoters, who wished to discuss wider transport policy issues. There was no substantive discussion of Central Railways' plans.