§ Q4. Mr. Molloyasked the Prime Minister if the public speech of the Secretary of State for the Environment made in London on 12th October concerning the home improvement grants publicity campaign represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir.
§ Mr. MolloyIs the Prime Minister aware that he should be ashamed of that reply? Does he not realise that his right hon. Friend was eulogising the products of a foreign nation and running down the products of its British competitors in the electrical industry, and that many in that industry, management and labour, are outraged? I was hoping to have at least an apology, if not a withdrawal of the statement by the Secretary of State for the Environment, and if the Prime Minister has no confidence in the British electrical industry—[Interruption.] I regret that the Tory Party seems to have no confidence in, or concern for, the British element of the electrical industry. That being so—
§ Mr. SpeakerLong questions cut out the Questions of other Members.
§ Mr. MolloyIt is not a long question, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. MolloyI will carry on when hon. Members are quiet.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. This is an important period of Questions. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will be quick.
§ Mr. MolloyThis is an important question, because it involves the whole of the British electrical industry. The point I am making to the Prime Minister is—[HON. MEMBERS: "Ask the question."] Will the Prime Minister examine the speech and ask his right hon. Friend to correct that wrong and deleterious statement which has damaged the British electrical industry in favour of a foreign competitor and—
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member has put his question and the Prime Minister will answer.
§ Mr. Molloyrose—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Member has put his question; the Prime Minister will answer.
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend was making a speech to encourage home improvement and the obtaining of grants for that purpose. In the course of it he used the phrase "Black and Decker revolution". He was using it in the same colloquial sense that one uses the expression "Hoovering", and I do not think that the hon. Gentleman has ever objected to the use of that phrase, which affects a firm in his constituency. He objects to the use of the phrase "Black and Decker revolution", but he might realise that some of his hon. Friends in development areas appreciate that this American firm has a factory in Spennymoor, in a development area, producing this equipment.
My right hon. Friend has sent a letter to the other firm in the hon. Member's constituency which is concerned and which wrote to him about this matter and he has explained the purpose of what he said. He said that if any offence had been given to that other firm, of course he apologised for making the remark. However, I must also point out that there must have been a remarkably successful publicity campaign by my right hon. Friend, because in the third quarter of this year there was an 80 per cent. increase in home improvement grants over the same quarter last year.