§ Sir John StanleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role he expects the Kent county council to play in specifying the physical and acoustic characteristics of the associated environmental works that would form part of the capital cost of British Rail's proposed high-speed line between London and the Channel tunnel.
§ Mr. PortilloI expect British Rail's proposals to be the subject of consultation with Kent county council.
§ Sir John StanleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, if British Rail's proposed high-speed line between London and the Channel tunnel is financed in the public sector, the costs of all forms of compensation to the owner of properties affected, both that already paid or to be paid under British Rail's ex-gratia scheme and that to be paid statutorily, will form part of the capital cost of the project for the purpose of calculating the rate of return.
§ Mr. PortilloIt is normal practice for all the costs associated with British Rail investment proposals to be taken into account for the purposes of assessing the viability of those proposals. The same is true of road schemes.