§ Q5. Mr. Carterasked the Prime Minister if he will now make an official visit to the West Midlands.
§ Q6. Mr. Peter Archerasked the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit to the West Midlands.
§ The Prime MinisterI have at present no specific plans to do so.
§ Mr. CarterIs the Prime Minister aware that that answer will be received with mixed feelings in the West Midlands, especially by the unemployed? Is he further aware that unemployment is rising faster than it has risen for 40 years? Is he also aware that if the RB211 is cancelled and if the Government fail to take early measures to stimulate the motor industry these figures will rise even more dramatically?
§ The Prime MinisterI am aware of the particular problems in the Midlands and of some of the views expressed by the people there, in particular of the desire that the I.D.C. policy should be modified or abandoned. That is not a view I can share. As to the motor industry, there is a home market which is being met more and more by imports of cars from overseas. I hope that the British motor industry will be able to meet more and more of the market instead of less.
§ Mr. RostWould the Prime Minister not agree that the best way to stimulate the motor industry would be to stop industrial disputes?
§ The Prime MinisterIt is not for me to stop industrial disputes but I would 683 have thought that there could have been common agreement that the fewer the disputes in the motor industry the greater will be output and the greater its success overseas.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsWhile all of us deplore industrial disputes, is the Prime Minister aware that it is not industrial disputes which have been causing unemployment in Birmingham and the West Midlands recently? Will he bear in mind that, while I understand his attitude to and share it to some extent, there are great difficulties about having what has hitherto been one of the most prosperous areas of the country suffering from a rate of unemployment above the national average? What prospect can he hold out of bringing that rate down?
§ The Prime MinisterWe have constantly discussed in the past the impact of wage-cost inflation on the level of employment. I find in discussions with employers and trade unions that this point is understood and accepted now. As to the general economic situation, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor gave his assessment in the Budget debate.
§ Mr. FauldsMay I congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on his wisdom in deciding not to visit the West Midlands? Does he realise, and I presume he does in view of his decision, that after the false prospectus which was his election campaign and all the "phooey" about prices, were he to turn up in my constituency there is a great danger that he might be lynched by the irate housewives of Smethwick? Can he understand my embarrassment in having to be the one to save him?
§ The Prime MinisterI have to disappoint the hon. Gentleman. I have not decided not to visit the West Midlands.
§ Mr. Greville JannerHas the right hon. Gentleman considered the possibility of visiting the East Midlands, because in areas such as my constituency, where there was never any great unemployment, people are now beginning to become redundant in large numbers? Is he aware that there are considerable worries? Would he give his attention to this urgent problem?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. When I do make my plans to visit the Midlands I hope to visit the East Midlands.
§ Mr. HefferTo clear up one mystery, could the Prime Minister tell the House why in the last few weeks most of the Questions put to him have been asking him to visit various parts of the country and the world—in one case the Windward Islands? Would he say why everyone is so anxious that he should be got out of London at the earliest possible moment?
§ The Prime MinisterApparently hon. Gentlemen are so anxious to ask me Questions and this is the only way they can find of getting them on the Order Paper.
§ Mr. MoateIf on any of his official trips the Prime Minister should travel by British Rail, may I express the hope that he will not suffer from the delays and frustrations experienced at present by millions of travellers as a result of industrial action going under the spurious title of a work to rule? Would he agree that this type of industrial action is quite wrong? Will he encourage the Chairman-designate of British Rail to enter into longer-term contracts so that travellers can avoid being held to ransom by a small number of irresponsible employees?
§ The Prime MinisterI know that my hon. Friend's area is suffering particularly from the work to rule. I hope that the House as a whole would wish that this would shortly be brought to an end and would agree that there should not be any inflationary wage increase.