HC Deb 08 June 1978 vol 951 c360
Q1. Mr. Pardoe

asked the Prime Minister, if he will pay an official visit to Cornwall.

The Prime Minister (Mr. James Callaghan)

I have at present no plans to visit Cornwall.

Mr. Pardoe

I am sorry to hear that. If, at some time during the months remaining between now and the General Election, the Prime Minister is able to visit Cornwall, he will find that Cornwall's economy and the public services generally are suffering greatly—[HON. MEMBERS: "Question."]—from lack of public expenditure. Will he, therefore, listen to the cries of Conservative politicians in Cornwall for more money for roads, for water and sewerage services, for private industry and for hospitals? Will he explain to the Cornish people how this fits in with the cries from the Leader of the Conservative Party for cuts in public expenditure?

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir. I think that I could find it a very interesting hour to go through all the proposals for increased public expenditure from the Conservative Party—which, by coincidence, I have in front of me. [HON. MEMBERS: "Surprise."] It is a surprise. I did not know that the hon. Member was going to say that. But it is quite clear that the Conservative Party cannot at one and the same time call for reduction in taxation against the increases in public expenditure that they are proposing.