Orders of the Day — Channel Tunnel Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 5 Rhagfyr 1973.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Sir Douglas Dodds-Parker Sir Douglas Dodds-Parker , Cheltenham 12:00, 5 Rhagfyr 1973

When the hon. Member for Wrexham (Mr. Ellis) rose, I hoped that we were going to head a clarion call from a railwayman on behalf of the Channel Tunnel, but it seems that many of these colleagues of his are now at the other end of the building, and I was disappointed.

My hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, North (Mr. Alexander Fletcher) made a graceful maiden speech, particularly in his reference to Johnnie Dalkeith, who is no longer in the House. Most by-elections arise for reasons that the House regrets—in this case particu- larly so. This is my first chance to say how much we welcome my hon. Friend. I hope he will take part in many debates like this, stressing the regional nature of Scotland, from which he comes. As a Sassenach, one has to be careful about referring to Scotland as a region, as one does at the European Parliament, when it is part of the United Kingdom.

My hon. Friend may have noticed, during Question Time this afternoon, an example of how those who live in South-East England—I suppose I do most of the time—are a bit egocentric at times. We were discussing the rush around for petrol which other parts of the country, I understand, are not suffering. I hope that this regional point will be taken up, because this is one of the ways in which we might spread the load rather than concentrate it, as has been happening in the century and a half by the drift to the South-East.

Even following the explanation of the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Tope), the Liberal amendment seems an astonishing document. It is self-contradictory. It talks of the tunnel exacerbating the long-term nature of the energy crisis. I do not see how that can be argued, since it seems that exactly the opposite will happen. The tunnel will replace road transport, which is dependent on oil, with electric traction, which has the advantage that electricity can be generated by nuclear power. It will also be pollution-free.

The motion also says that the tunnel will cause widespread environmental disruption to South-East England. Planning powers exist to control such a situation. Contrary to the amendment, I believe that the traffic loading can be spread by using the rail between the coast and its sources in Edinburgh and even beyond, The increase in road traffic over the last few years is, every day, causing ever-greater environmental disruption in South-East England. By proper physical planning and the use of rail transport it should be possible to achieve the desired effect. As things are, every day we are faced with a growing density of traffic and an increase in air pollution, and this traffic is concentrated on the port area. I hope, therefore, that the House will decisively reject the Liberal amendment.

I was a little surprised to hear what the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Park (Mr. Mulley) said. He was a very helpful Minister of Transport, and on occasions I discussed this project with him. The right hon. Gentleman is right in saying that it is for the Government to put forward proposals, but I think that the House is entitled to know the better alternatives that might be proposed. There has been the extraordinary suggestion from the Liberal benches about the building of a dam, but that is a non-starter. Equally, the construction of a bridge is a non-starter. I hope that, if not now then on a later occasion, the right hon. Gentleman will tell us what he believes are the possible alternatives.