HC Deb 08 December 1964 vol 703 cc1317-9
4. Captain Orr

asked the Prime Minister when he will announce the special measures Her Majesty's Govern- intend to take to offset the effect of the Government's deflationary policy upon the economy of Northern Ireland.

Mr. George Brown

I have been asked to reply.

The hon. and gallant Gentleman is wrong again. I do not accept his premise, so no such measures are called for.

Captain Orr

Is the right hon. Gentleman seriously telling us that the policy of the 7 per cent. Bank Rate and the additional tax on petrol are not meant to be deflationary, because so far as I understand it that is quite the contrary to what his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer said about this measure? If they are meant to be deflationary, should not the Government take special measures to safeguard Northern Ireland from them?

Mr. Brown

There are very many differences between the policies we are pursuing and those tragic and almost fatal ones which the hon. and gallant Gentleman's right hon. Friends pursued and which landed the country in the difficulties it is now in.

Mr. Maudling

If the right hon. Gentleman does not agree that it is the policy of the Government to introduce an element of deflation or disinflation into the economy, will he kindly read the recent speeches of his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer?

Mr. Brown

And as the right hon. Member for Barnet (Mr. Maudling) was one of the band who got us into this trouble, he should try to help to get us out of it.

Mr. Chichester-Clark

Since the effect of the 7 per cent. Bank Rate is not likely to be reflected in the unemployment figures of Northern Ireland for some time to come, is not this the time for the right hon. Gentleman to look at the whole I.D.C. situation with a view to seeing whether he can get a more positive deflection of industry to Northern Ireland?

Mr. Brown

If the hon. Gentleman is really trying to help Northern Ireland, as distinct from trying to score a political point, he may like to know that the Ministers of Northern Ireland and I have been in much closer contact during the last seven weeks than they ever were with the previous Administration. We will do our best to see that the tragic situation that has afflicted Northern Ireland during all these years of total Tory rule there does not go on any longer.