§ Q5. Mr. David Steelasked the Prime Minister if he will seek to make an official visit to South Africa.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave to the hon. Lady the Member for Eton and Slough (Miss Lestor) on 27th March. —[Vol. 853, c. 1095–6.]
§ Mr. SteelIs the Prime Minister now able to confirm that the Government are agreeable to the setting up of a Select Committee of this House to investigate the standards of British firms operating in South Africa?
§ The Prime MinisterThere have been discussions about this matter between my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council and the Opposition. I stated my position clearly last week. It is for a Committee of this House to decide whether it is appropriate for it to make inquiries of any particular kind, including this one.
§ Mr.Biggs-Davison. If there is to be such an investigation, may I ask whether it would be right, helpful and informative to have a similar investigation into the wages paid in other developing countries?
§ The Prime MinisterThis, again, is a matter for a Select Committee if, as I said, it
deems it right and appropriate".—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 27th March 1973; Vol. 853, c. 1096.]However, I do not think anybody would deny that there are also deep-rooted problems about the standard of living of people in all the developing countries, and this means to a large extent the level of wages.
§ Mr. Leslie HuckfieldIn anticipation of a possible visit to South Africa by a Select Committee of this House, may I ask the Prime Minister whether he will ask his right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary to ensure that his Department gets as much information as possible from South Africa about wages being paid by British firms there? Will he also ask his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what instructions and political advice are being given by trade 227 missions to South Africa financed by his Department?
§ The Prime MinisterThe advice which is given regarding wages has been published and is made available to every firm. It emphasises the opportunities which they have for increasing wages and raising the standard of living of their employees. That information is also in the hands of trade missions which go to South Africa. I think that information about the practices of individual British firms could be available in London.
§ Mr. RidleyWill my right hon. Friend also consider setting up a Select Committee to inquire into the reasons why wages and the standard of living are so much higher in capitalist countries like America?
§ The Prime MinisterI take my hon. Friend's point. I do not think that it requires a Select Committee to go into this question to recognise the enormous advances which have been made through technology, the removal of restrictive practices and in other ways in some Western countries.