§ Sir G. Howeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will now publish the details of the arrangements for consultation between British Railways and county and district councils affected by the Channel Tunnel rail link in which his Department will be involved; and if he will make a state- 36W ment on the extent to which he proposes to ensure opportunities for public participation and consultation;
(2) whether the decision to continue with phase 2 of the Channel Tunnel project affects the intention of British Rail to introduce in the autumn a Private Bill providing for construction of the necessary rail link; and whether it remains the position, as announced by the Minister for Transport Industries in the last Government, that there is no deadline by which representations about the route of such a rail link have to be received by his Department and British Rail.
§ Mr. MulleyIf the tunnel is built the new rail link will be essential to the strategy of orienting the project more strongly to through rail services. To provide the link in time, British Rail will need to introduce a Private Bill in November. It is now planning a series of public meetings along the line of the route at which my Department and the local authorities concerned will be represented. These will be followed by further consultation with the local authorities before firm decisions on the proposals to be included in the Bill are taken.