asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to reach an agreement with the French Government on the demarcation line in the English Channel for oil exploration purposes.

We are continuing, together with the French Government, to examine means of finding an early solution to the delimitation of the Continental Shelf in both the English Channel and the Western Approaches.

Yes, but in view of the importance of exploiting our own oil resources as some of this area seems to promise oil and natural gas resources, cannot these conversations be speeded up?

We are anxious to get a settlement as soon as possible.

Has the Foreign Office asked the French Government what their thoughts are about the official Liberal Party spokesman's proposal of a dam across the Channel? What do the French Government think about locks being included in the dam to allow ships through? Are the French Government happy about the possibility of paying compensation for the flooding of half Holland and most of East Anglia?

I apologise to the Liberal Party if we have not been sufficiently active in bringing its proposals to the attention of the French Government. I am afraid that we have not done so.