§ Mr. RoweTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has made any assessment of the likely effect of seismic disturbance on the operation of the channel tunnel; and what discussions have taken place with the channel tunnel safety authority on this subject.
§ Mr. FreemanI understand that Eurotunnel is currently carrying out a programme of studies, which has been agreed by a group of seismic experts appointed by the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority and Eurotunnel, to satisfy the safety authority that the Eurotunnel design criterion for the tunnel affords an appropriate level of assurance against seismic risk. The studies are examining whether passengers can be evacuated safely and within a reasonable period in the event of an earthquake equivalent to the most serious ever known in the area. These studies should be complete by February 1992.