HC Deb 13 January 1976 vol 903 cc197-8
Q1. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to meet the TUC.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson)

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on 25th November, Sir—[Vol. 901, c. 660].

Mr. Allaun

Has the TUC or the Labour Party ever agreed to the drastic cuts in public expenditure now being demanded, which are bound to cause unemployment? If the Government are prepared to safeguard the jobs of car workers, will they save the jobs of building workers, home helps, teachers and nurses, who perform equally important and valuable services?

The Prime Minister

As my hon. Friend is aware, the public expenditure figures for the coming year—the period of anxiety that he mentioned—have already been announced and have not been varied. The normal discussions have been going on and will be announced at the proper time for expenditure in 1977–78, which is a different period and a different situation.

As for construction workers, my hon. Friend will have rejoiced—though I am not sure whether it was in public—that whereas in 1974 there were 30 per cent. more starts in public sector house building and 20 per cent. more completions, for the first 11 months of 1975 starts are up further by 16 per cent. on 1974, with completions 27 per cent. up, in addition to an increase in the private sector. A good job has been done in lifting the house building programme from the low level that we inherited.

Mrs. Thatcher

When the Prime Minister next meets the TUC, will he discuss with its representatives what has happened to his new industrial strategy, and will he tell us what has happened to it?

The Prime Minister

Tomorrow, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be chairing the meeting of the NEDC dealing with these matters, which were laid down at the earlier meeting at Chequers and will be taken a great deal further at the meeting of NEDC. The industrial strategy announced at that time remains the policy of the Government, the TUC and the CBI.