Hopscotch Asian Women's Centre (Hansard, 19 October 1995)

HL Deb 19 October 1995 vol 566 cc824-5 824

§ 3.18 p.m.

§ Lord Williams of Elvel asked Her Majesty's Government:

§ Whether they will now formally apologise to the Hopscotch Asian Women's Centre for the recent comments made at the Conservative Party conference by the Minister without Portfolio.

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, the Minister without Portfolio is dealing with this matter himself.

§ Lord Williams of Elvel
My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Baroness for that slightly obscure Answer. Does she mean that the Government associate themselves with the Minister's comments and their tenor? If that is so, will she please say so openly? If that is not so, will she indicate that the Government are prepared to apologise for the Minister, not only to Camden Council, which was the original object of the attack, but also to Save the Children Fund; to the Home Office, which increased the grant; to the Bangladeshi community, and indeed to the President of the Save the Children Fund, Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal?

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, the noble Lord has presumably not appreciated the fact that those remarks were made by the Conservative Party Chairman at the Conservative Party conference. He made them as a Chairman of the Conservative Party. It is right that the noble Lord should know that the organisation concerned has not sought an apology.

§ Baroness Jeger
My Lords, would it be possible for the noble Baroness to convey, on behalf of many of us in this House, the message that it might be educational and courteous if the chairman, who is also a member of the Cabinet, were to pay a visit to that organisation, following the example of the Princess Royal? Surely that is not beneath the understanding of the Minister concerned.

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, that is a matter for the Minister without Portfolio. As I said, he is dealing with the matter himself.

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§ Lord Harris of Greenwich
My Lords, is not the noble Baroness aware that a member of the Cabinet has abused a local authority and an organisation which is doing extremely valuable social work? Is it not appropriate that, through her, he apologises to Parliament and to the organisations concerned, which, as the noble Baroness indicated, have behaved with remarkable restraint? Is it impossible for any member of the Government ever to offer an apology when they make such a ludicrous statement as that made by Dr. Mawhinney?

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, the chairman was making the point that Labour local authorities often—in fact nearly always—put political correctness before common sense. If the noble Lord wants examples of that, I can write to him with reams and reams of such examples.

§ Lord Campbell of Alloway
My Lords, in view in particular of what the noble Lord, Lord Harris of Greenwich, has just said, if it is that the Government should apologise, is this really the forum in which it is appropriate to seek any such apology?

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, obviously I am just here to answer the Question.

§ Lord Merlyn-Rees
My Lords, was the Home Secretary's decision to fund or to grant aid to the Hopscotch Asian Women's Centre an operational or a policy decision?

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, it was a supportive decision. The Government have made it clear that they support the work carried out by the Hopscotch Asian Women's Centre in providing training, education and childcare facilities for Asian women, and have provided, and are committed to providing, more substantial financial support to enable it to continue its work.

§ Baroness Seccombe
My Lords, does the Minister agree that it is, of course, regrettable if offence has been caused to those who are involved in that worthwhile project, but because Labour-controlled local authorities so often seem to give financial support to what perhaps I may call "eccentric" projects anything can be believed?

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, I must agree with my noble friend.

§ Lord Williams of Elvel
My Lords, the noble Baroness keeps on referring to "the Chairman of the Conservative Party", but the Chairman of the Conservative Party can be anybody. My Question referred to a Minister without Portfolio who is a Cabinet Minister. Do the Government accept responsibility for the tone of those comments by a Cabinet Minister or do they not?

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, the Minister without Portfolio was speaking at a Conservative Party conference in his capacity as the party chairman. All sorts of things are said at conferences. The noble Lord, Lord Monkswell, was there and knows that it was an excellent conference. Perhaps we shall be able to welcome him onto our Benches.