Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 5 Rhagfyr 1973.
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for making the situation clear. Of course, with the usual Liberal attitude, he has forgotten to reply to the argument that a rail-only tunnel would not be the most practicable way of proceeding.
A rail-only tunnel still has to be drilled. It may not be of the same diameter, but we still have to drill it. One advantage, or one of the least disadvantages from Folkestone's point of view, is that having the Cheriton terminal immediately at the beginning of the tunnel gives excellent opportunity for the spoil from the tunnel to be deposited on the terminal site. There is plenty of space for that spoil to be deposited without having to transport it great distances by road.
A number of proposals in the Bill will have a serious effect on my constituency. Schedule 2 refers to Dolland's Moor being used as a siding. I should like an assurance from my right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport Industries that this siding is to deal with the chalk spoil coming from the Dover workings of the terminal and will be used primarily for transferring the spoil to this terminal site till such time as it can be brought from the tunnel. There is great fear in that part of Kent that a marshalling yard will be planned, and that we do not want. If the whole object of the siding is to get the chalk spoil off the road we welcome it and congratulate the Minister on finding the only rubbish tip for miles around on which to put the siding and do the least damage to the area.
I thank my right hon. Friend for keeping his promise that the local authority would have some planning control inside the terminal site. This is greatly appreciated. The right hon. Member for Sheffield, Park (Mr. Mulley) seemed to have some doubt about that matter and about the ultimate power of the Secretary of State. With any planning control there has to be some ultimate responsibility.