§ Q2. Mr. Peter Archerasked the Prime Minister if he will appoint a further Minister of State at the Home Office.
§ Q4. Mr. Eadieasked the Prime Minister if he will now give consideration to the appointment of an additional Minister at the Department of Employment.
§ The Prime MinisterUnless and until I make an announcement to the contrary, I do not propose to increase or reduce the number of Ministers in any Department, or to alter the present allocation of functions to Departments.
§ Mr. ArcherWhile I hoped, when I set down the Question, to persuade the Prime Minister to bring matters relating to 1636 the family under a single administration, will he now take pity on the overworked Ministers at the Home Office and appoint someone to spend the whole of his time trying to understand the policy and draftsmanship of the Immigration Bill, thus sparing the Standing Committee many wasted hours?
§ The Prime MinisterWhat the hon. and learned Gentleman described in the second part of his supplementary question is a normal legislative process; the Bill can be discussed in detail in Committee, which is what is happening. As to the first part of the hon. and learned Gentleman's question, when reorganising the structure of Whitehall, I gave very careful consideration to this complex of problems, but it has proved absolutely impossible to ensure that everything comes under one Department.
§ Mr. EadieDoes the Prime Minister agree that his answer shows a callous disregard of the problems of unemployment and employment opportunities? Does he propose to ignore the calamitous political defeat he suffered in Scotland this week at the municipal elections, and the almost certain equally calamitous defeat he will suffer in the municipal elections in England and Wales next week?
§ The Prime MinisterThere does not seem to be any question in those few remarks. As far as Ministers are concerned, I do not propose to make any further changes until another announcement.
§ Mr. SandysIs it not a fallacy to imagine that the creation of more Ministers necessarily helps to solve problems?
§ The Prime MinisterThat fallacy was effectively exposed under the last Administration.
§ Mr. George ThomasIs not it time the Prime Minister appointed to the Welsh Office Ministers who are responsible to the Welsh electorate?
§ The Prime MinisterWe are a United Kingdom.