To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on the Channel Tunnel rail link in each of the last five years; and what his estimate is of the likely expenditure in each of the next four years. (115028)

In previous years the following sums have been spent by London and Continental Railways on the construction of sections one and two of the Channel Tunnel rail link (now known as High Speed 1), and the new Eurostar depot at Temple Mills:

Expenditure in 2006 is currently being finalised and will be subject to audit prior to being made public later this year.

Anticipated expenditure for this and future years is commercially sensitive to London and Continental Railways Limited as a private company, and therefore cannot be made public at this time.