BRETHERTON (Hansard, 5 August 1976)

§ The Prime Minister
I have at present no plans to do so.

§ Mr. Rodgers
I am sorry that my right hon. Friend will not be able to call in at Bretherton during his journey to Lancashire in the near future. However, is he aware that Bretherton is a small Lancashire village which has a very severe housing problem and that, for example, there is no local authority provision for elderly people? In view of the regrettable Government policy to cut 2122 back on overall house building and to concentrate resources on areas of stress, will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that villages as well as larger conurbations have serious housing problems and that stress is not confined to the cities?

§ The Prime Minister
I take my hon. Friend's point. What is being done in housing is to resile from a policy of an open-ended responsibility for house building. This could not be borne on the National Exchequer as it stood, and was part of our public expenditure cutback. But we are not proposing to go below the programmes that were expected and for which we budgeted. This means that resources will be more limited. I hope that my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction will consult local authorities so that areas of stress, which include not only inner cities, can take into account the kind of area like Bretherton, which my hon. Friend represents.

§ Mr. Montgomery
Since, apparently, the Prime Minister will not be visiting Bretherton, will he consider coming to Altrincham, where I hope that he will be prepared to meet one of my constituents, who, after 40 years' loyal service with British Rail, is now threatened with dismissal because he has refused, on religious grounds, to join a union? Does the right hon. Gentleman recall that when he first became Prime Minister he spoke on television about preserving our existing freedoms? Will he say how that is compatible with this sort of trade union tyranny?

§ The Prime Minister
If the hon. Gentleman wants a considered reply to his question perhaps he will put it down on the Order Paper.

§ Mr. Skinner
In view of the fact that my right hon. Friend is not going to Bretherton, or the other place, I wonder whether he would go to Saudi Arabia, which is mentioned in Question No. 7 standing in my name. In view of the fact that about 12 months ago the Attorney-General indicated that Scotland Yard was trying to get into Saudi Arabia in order to interview a co-director of one of the Poulson subsidiaries, of which the right hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mr. Maudling) was also a co-director, so that the loose ends of this affair could be tied up, will he use his 2123 power and influence to see whether this matter can finally be resolved?

§ The Prime Minister
My hon. Friend has illustrated the absurd nature of some of the Questions that are put down. That is why I do not take some of them seriously. It is ridiculous, when I am asked about a visit to Bretherton, that it should then be extended either to the constituency of the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale (Mr. Montgomery) or to Saudi Arabia, or anywhere else throughout the world. If they are sensible and reasonable Questions I shall deal with them, but not otherwise.