§ Q4. Mr. Blakerasked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech about the economy at Swansea on 10th January.
§ The Prime MinisterAs I said in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Mr. Coleman) on 20th January, I did so on 13th January.—[Vol. 794, c. 113.]
§ Mr. BlakerIs the right hon. Gentleman sure that the copy in the Library contains the complete text of that speech? Is he aware that I could not find the bit about devaluation and the level of unemployment?
§ The Prime MinisterWe have just discussed that. In any event, as the hon. Gentleman seems to have read the copy in the Library, I cannot understand why he tabled a Question asking me to place one there. If he knows one is there, there seems no point in his asking me to put one there. I would refer him, if he wants the reference, to a large number of speeches that have been made dealing with this subject.
§ Mr. PeytonSo that we may properly appreciate the level of the Prime Minister's thinking, could we have the one about the housemaids as well?
§ The Prime MinisterThe text of the speech which I think the hon. Gentleman has in mind is already in the Library. We are prepared to debate with hon. Gentlemen opposite the implications of a free-for-all in housing, with all that that would mean in terms of the Rent Act and so on, and a free-for-all in the social services, which would mean a return to pre-Beveridge.
§ Mr. Peter M. JacksonMay I congratulate my right hon. Friend on those sections of his speech at Swansea when he pointed to the need to protect our visual inheritance and the growing dangers of pollution? He clearly recognises that problem because he spelled it out in his speech. Would he therefore consider strengthening the alkaline inspectorate, which I understand is very much over-stretched?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. This is a subject on which we have not only made speeches but have taken action. I noticed that the party opposite did not even refer to it following the Selsdon Park meeting—or hon. Members opposite were not reported as having done so and that is inconceivable with the Tory Press as it is. As to pollution of the countryside, in my Swansea speech I referred to the fact that from 1960 to 1964 the Tory Government provided plans for site clearance of derelict areas of just 8 acres in four years—[An HON. MEMBER: "In Wales."]—in Wales—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh!"] These are the official published 1075 figures—[Interruption.] It may be 8½ acres. But since 1966, under our Act, schemes ranking for grant have been approved for 1,400 acres.