§ Mr. Sheldonasked the Minister of Transport (1) what estimates he has made 92W subsequent to those contained in the 1963 White Paper on the number of accompanied vehicles using the Channel Tunnel in 1980, 1985 and other years;
(2) whether, in any revision of the White Paper of 1963 the Channel Tunnel, further estimates of the cost and practicability of an alternative Channel link have been made; and if he will publish the results;
(3) what revision has been made of the figures in the 1963 White Paper on the Fixed Channel Link for the number of unaccompanied passengers;
(4) what estimate he has made since the publication of the 1963 White Paper of the average vehicle toll for the fixed crossing of the Channel;
(5) what changes in the economic feasibility of the Channel Tunnel are now estimated as a result of traffic estimates revised since 1963;
(6) what estimates he has made since 1963 of the tonnage of goods expected to use the Channel Tunnel;
(7) what estimates he has made since the publication of the 1963 White Paper of the economic return on the Fixed Channel Link;
(8) on what criteria he decided it was misleading to publish revised estimates of the 1963 White Paper on the Channel Tunnel.
§ Mr. Murray:As I told my hon. Friend on 28th April, 1970 we think it would be misleading to publish piecemeal at this stage revised estimates made in 1966 as these are now out of date. Nevertheless, as the House knows, we shall be considering with the French Government the possibility of publishing an information document as soon as an appropriate stage has been reached in the planning of the project.
The final studies will include up-to-date economic forecasts based on the collection of fresh data.—[Vol. 800, c. 1028–1029]