§ Q1. Mr. Cookasked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 15 July.
§ The Prime Minister (Mrs. Margaret Thatcher)This morning I attended the thanksgiving service at St. Paul's Cathedral to mark the eightieth birthday of the Queen Mother. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be having meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, including one with the Foreign Minister of Nigeria. This evening I hope to have an Audience of Her Majesty the Queen.
§ Mr. CookIn the course of the Prime Minister's busy day, will she find five minutes to read the report to the Lothian health board saying that it must shed 300 nursing posts to stay within cash limits? Will she also read the report to the Glasgow housing committee saying that it cannot start any general needs housing for five years? Will she then return to the House and explain the perverse paradox of a Government who cannot find the money to pay nurses or build houses, but are about to announce the expenditure of more than £6 billion on the purchase of nuclear missiles?
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government believe that the prime duty of Government is to secure the defence of the realm. We believe that freedom is worth preserving. The hon. Gentleman is inviting me to spend even more money. We could do that only by adding inflation on inflation, which would be disastrous; by adding to borrowing, which would increase interest rates; or by raising taxes, which are already too high.
§ Mr. MylesDuring my right hon. Friend's busy schedule, will she find time to lend her support to the early implementation of the European sheepmeat agreement, which is so necessary to instil confidence in the autumn sheep sales?
§ The Prime MinisterWe are doing all that we can to secure the early implementation of that agreement. Mr. Gundelach, the European Commissioner, is presently in Australia. He will be going to New Zealand this week to talk directly to the New Zealanders, for whom the future of that agreement is of paramount 1228 importance. They must be able to make the arrangements that suit their economy and their just case.
§ Mr. FreudIn view of the independent report on the progress of academically gifted children in the comprehensive sector, will the Prime Minister now announce the abandonment of the assisted places scheme? If she will not, will she say what further evidence she needs, and why the report published today has been sat upon for 12 months?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, we shall not abandon that policy. I am amazed that anyone from the Liberal Benches should seek to deny parents, who are heavy taxpayers, some element of choice.
§ Mr. Maxwell-HyslopWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind, in any ministerial discussions about nuclear weapons, that without them the Russian conventional forces could sweep through Europe far quicker than the United States could move conventional forces into Europe to protect us?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, but our manifesto also spoke of our pledge to ensure the continuing effectiveness of Britain's nuclear deterrent—for the very reason that my hon. Friend mentioned.