§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the total public investment support is to(a) Phase 1 and (b) Phase 2 of CTRL; and in what years it (i) has been and (ii) will be allocated. [39417]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe level of Government investment in the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) remains the same as set out in the Development Agreement with London and Continental in 1996.
The Government are providing grants totalling £778.1 million towards construction costs for section 1 of the CTRL and £1,774.2 million towards construction costs for section 2. These values are in January 1997 prices and are corrected to current values using the Retail Prices Index.
In both cases the grant will only be paid when expenditure has exceeded 68 per cent. of the target cost for the relevant section. The grants are then made in eight consecutive three-monthly payments provided that a specified construction milestone has been achieved.
Expenditure on section 1 exceeded the 68 per cent. point in September 2001 and the relevant milestone had by then been achieved. Therefore the first payment was made on 15 November 2001. The second and third milestones have also been achieved and the second payment was made on 15 February 2002.
558WAssuming that these conditions continue to be met according to the project plan, the grants will be paid as follows:
In current values (£) Section 1 Section 2 2001–02 221.91 — 2002–03 458.61 — 2003–04 234.44 — 2004–05 — 280.43 2005–06 — 1,142.68 2006–07 — 879.45
§ Pete WishartTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions with the Scottish Executive have taken place concerning the restrictions of rail freight through the Channel tunnel that began on 7 November 2001 and its impact on Scotland; when such discussions took place; who took part; what the outcome was; and if he will place a copy of the minutes in the Library. [38675]
§ Mr. Jamieson[holding answer 28 February 2002]My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have regular discussions with the Scottish Executive concerning a variety of issues. The content of these discussions is confidential.
The Government are aware of, and have passed on, the particular concerns over the impact of restrictions on international rail freight services from Scotland. The Government are pressing the French Government at the highest levels to provide adequate policing resources at Fréthun to support the anti-intrusion measures already being installed by SNCF in order to address the disruption to Channel tunnel services caused by would-be illegal immigrants.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has written twice to the French Prime Minister, and also spoke to him at a recent summit in Stockholm. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions have followed up the Prime Minister's letters with the French Interior Minister and Transport Minister respectively.