HC Deb 21 July 1980 vol 989 c26
39. Mr. Canavan

asked the Paymaster General whether, pursuant to his previous replies to the hon. Member for West Stirlingshire and the right hon. Member for Ebbw Vale (Mr. Foot)—Official Report, 23 June, columns 26-7—he has placed the appropriate information in the Library.

Mr. Maude

I placed in the Library last week a copy of the press handout I issued on 25 April 1979, together with a copy of the relevant newspaper article, which, it will be seen, is substantially different from my handout.

Mr. Canavan

Why has the Paymaster General not complied fully with the request by adding his personal comments about the Government's record on each of the alleged lies told by the Labour Party? As many of those so-called lies have turned out to be bitter truths, such as increased food prices, VAT and prescription charges and the public asset-stripping of BP and British Airways, will the right hon. Gentleman now have the honesty to admit publicly that the Tory Party cheated and lied its way into office?

Mr. Maude

To some of the cases mentioned by the hon. Gentleman there was no reference whatever in my handout. In none of the cases referred to in my handout have the Government done anything which suggests that what the Opposition said at the time was not a lie.