§ Q6. Mr. Skinnerasked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Roxburgh.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) on 7th April.
§ Mr. SkinnerWhen he meets the Leader of the Liberal Party, will my right hon. Friend make it clear to him that there are very serious misgivings within the Labour movement about the pact with this discredited bunch and that the party believes that the Liberals would not dare oppose another motion of no confidence in the Government, because they are now electorally impotent, even if they were not before? Will my right hon. Friend also tell the Leader of the Liberal Party that he does not agree with a permanent incomes policy and that he will also not agree with, or be naïve enough to accept, the idea that he will transfer the proposed petrol tax revenue to beer?
§ The Prime MinisterI am sure that there are certain reservations in some people's mind about the agreements, but I warn my hon. Friend that he is out of tune with the Labour movement if he 1486 really believes that there are substantial misgivings because my correspondence, together with the resolutions that I am receiving from constituency parties, shows that for once he is not correct about this.
Regarding incomes policy, I shall be happy to discuss that with the Leader of the Liberal Party if he wishes—[Interruption.] He is entitled to discuss it with me. If he intends to support us in the House of Commons, why should he not discuss it with me? As regards petrol tax, some people have got to be pretty careful. To make a hole of £450 million in the Budget, which they will be able to do only if the Conservative Opposition behave irresponsibly, will mean—[Interruption.] No, I am not threatening anyone. What I am saying is that it is very difficult for the Opposition on one day to ask me to follow President Carter's example and on the next to vote against the petrol tax.
§ Mr. David SteelMay I repeat to the Prime Minister that, although we shall just have to agree to differ on the issue of petrol, I should be very happy to discuss that matter with him in my constituency? Is he aware that I should be very happy to see the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) come to my constituency and speak for my Labour opponent at the next General Election?