§ Q9. Mr. McMasterasked the Prime Minister whether, following his official visit to Northern Ireland, he will step up existing measures being taken in the United Kingdom by Her Majesty's Government in co-operation with the Government of Northern Ireland which are designed to reduce unemployment and increase the rate of industrial expansion in Northern Ireland.
§ The Prime MinisterSome existing measures have already been improved; details were given in the debate on regional development on 4th December. More recently we have announced the assistance to be given for the Skyvan project, and we have agreed to a substantial scale of investment in a Northern Ireland roads programme.
§ Dame Irene WardOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I could not hear in the uproar, but I did rise in my place and you have entirely overlooked my Question No. 6.
§ Mr. SpeakerIn fact, it is marked "off" on my Order Paper. As a consequence, I was under the illusion that the hon. Lady had either withdrawn it or postponed it. Therefore, I did not call it.
§ Dame Irene WardI should not like there to be any misunderstanding. I asked for the Question to be postponed only if it was not reached, but it has been reached.
§ Mr. SpeakerI am very sorry. There must have been some misunderstanding. It communicated itself to me in the form of the appropriate squiggles that cross it out. The only way that I can get round to the Question now is to ask leave of the House to go back to the hon. Lady's Question.
§ Mr. McMasterOn a point of order. While not wishing to obstruct my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward), may I ask whether I shall be allowed to put a supplementary question?
§ Mr. SpeakerIf the hon. Member will be patient for a moment, we will see how we get on.
§ Later—
§ Mr. McMasterI thank my right hon. Friend for his reply to my Question. In view of the very heavy and continuing unemployment in Northern Ireland, which is up to 8 per cent., and the news of serious redundancy at Short Bros. and Harland if more orders are not placed soon—on top of the fall in employment in the shipbuilding industry in the past few years—would not my right hon. Friend agree that some special extra measures should he taken, and a fresh review made of the situation?
§ The Prime MinisterWe have the important matter of the difficulties in Northern Ireland all the time in mind and try to help so far as we possibly can
§ Mr. Stratton MillsMay I ask my right hon. Friend whether he will reaffirm that the undertaking of the Government to Short Bros. and Harland in relation to employment still stands?
§ The Prime MinisterIf my hon. Friend would say what particular undertaking he has in mind, I could answer the question.
§ Mr. BrockwayMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, when considering any assistance for this firm, he will 1185 ask whether an applicant for employment by the firm is asked about his religion; whether there is an inquiry about the religious faith of the applicant? Will the right hon. Gentleman see that religious discrimination in Northern Ireland in relation to employment is ended?
§ The Prime MinisterI have no reason to believe that the hon. Gentleman's question is based on fact. When we are considering whether to place an order—for instance, for Skyvan or another of these proposals which may come to us—certainly in our country we take no notice of any religious question.
§ Mr. McMasterOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the implications in the last question, which would be deeply resented in my constituency——
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I thought that the hon. Gentleman had risen to give some notice. This other matter does not give rise to a point of order.