§ 20. Mr. WelshTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest estimate of the total expenditure on the high-speed rail link between London and the channel tunnel; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WattsThe estimated cost of the channel tunnel rail link is around £2.7 billion at fourth quarter 1992 prices.
§ Sir Keith SpeedTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the environmental statements for the channel tunnel rail and the M2 widening scheme will be published.
§ Mr. WattsThe environmental statements for the channel tunnel rail link and the widening scheme for junctions 1 to 4 of the M2 and the A2 at Cobham were published on Thursday 17 November. They were circulated to statutory agencies, local authority offices, libraries and information centres along the route. Copies of both statements were placed in the Library. Further background material to the CTRL statement is available for inspection at the offices of my Department's parliamentary agents, Sherwood and Co., 35 Great Peter street, Westminster.
Related to the environmental statements and the Bill, a leaflet, entitled "A Guide to Parliament's consideration of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill", was also published on 17 November. The leaflet contains advice on who can petition against the Bill, how to petition and the parliamentary process. It has been distributed widely.