The reasons which have led the Government to decide against the construction of a Channel Tunnel are set out at length in a White Paper issued yesterday, and are summarised in the following concluding paragraphs:╤
The Committee of Imperial Defence were unable to discover a single advantage from a military point of view which would follow from the construction of a Channel Tunnel. On the contrary, it would result only in an increased military commitment, involving in certain happily remote contingencies an element of danger, to provide against which a heavy capital and annual expenditure would have to be incurred.
Following on the meeting of the Committee of Imperial Defence, the whole matter was examined by the Government, which, in addition to economics and military considerations, reviewed possible diplomatic reactions.
Having regard to the element of doubt as to the feasibility of construction, the weakness of the economic case, the great cost, and the long period before which the capital expended could fructify, and the small amount of employment provided, the Government have come to the conclusion that there is no justification for a reversal of the policy pursued by successive Governments for nearly fifty years in regard to the Channel Tunnel.
