Railways (Convention on International Carriage by Rail) Regulations 2005

I thank the Minister for explaining the order. We are generally content with it. The COTIF agreement is not new. Its archaeology lies in the 19th century, a time when international rail travel was a lot more difficult because it involved ferry crossings. Today’s task seems to be to agree that the order should be approved, allowing the United Kingdom to be the 27th state to ratify the protocol. That is the magic number, and we would therefore allow the protocol to be accepted. The previous ratifications have to a degree been a form of scrutiny done for us by others, but to me that raises the question, ““Why are we No. 27, when railways were invented in this country?””. I note the Minister’s optimism about the separate agreement—the derogation—with the French over the Channel Tunnel shuttle trains. I also note that 1 per cent of GB passenger traffic is international and that 5 per cent of freight traffic goes abroad. I hope that the use of rail will increase in the near future and that the protocol will, in some ways, assist that. Although COTIF lays down the maximum standards for compensation in states participating in the protocol, in the United Kingdom there is unlimited compensation—in England, Wales and in Scotland. I note that there is a special schedule dealing with Scotland. Therefore, it strikes me that COTIF is a reassurance for British travellers and freight operators when abroad. As the United Kingdom will contribute £144,000 a year, can the Minister satisfy my curiosity about the location of the COTIF headquarters?