New Clause 5 - Eurotunnel
Railways and Transport Safety Bill
11:15 am
Mrs Anne McIntosh (Vale of York, Conservative)
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
I hope that new clause 5 is fairly self-explanatory, since I established that Eurotunnel is not Crown property. With the help of the Clerks, I found the right place in the Bill for this new clause. The official Opposition were not privy to the full and comprehensive consultation undertaken over many months by the Government in preparation for the Bill. I remind the Committee that I am a shareholder of Eurotunnel, although happily my shares are not of significant pecuniary value.
In 1983-84, I worked in the humble capacity of adviser to the Conservatives in the European Parliament. I had meetings with a number of officials at No. 10 in the heyday when we were in power. The No. 10 policy unit was well known to me, as eventually was the then Secretary of State.