§ Q1. Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 31 July.
§ The Prime Minister (Mrs. Margaret Thatcher)This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be having further meetings with ministerial colleagues and others.
§ Mr. JannerHas the right hon. Lady had the chance today to consider the dangerous effect on the freedom of the press of yesterday's House of Lords ruling in the case of British Steel Corporation v. Granada Television? Does she accept that, as no journalist can reveal his sources, all journalists are now in danger of imprisonment for contempt of court? Will she consider introducing legislation in the next Session to overrule this sad and sinister decision?
§ The Prime MinisterLike the hon. and learned Member, I have seen that judgment. None of us has yet seen the reasons for it, and I understand that the Law Commission is at present considering the law relating to civil remedies for breach of confidence. Its report had been expected at about the end of this year, but it will now have to reconsider the law in the light of the decision of the House of Lords in the Granada case when the Law Lords' reasons become available.
§ Sir Graham PageWill my right hon. Friend find time today to send congratulations to the special patrol group of the police for its success against muggers in the Underground—436 arrests in six weeks? Will she also condemn the Left-wingers of Lambeth who are protesting against this by picketing Brixton police station?
§ The Prime MinisterI am very happy to do both those things in accordance with my right hon. Friend's wishes. The special patrol group is doing an excellent job in upholding the law and protecting the law-abiding citizens. It needs full support from all members of the public.
§ Mr. WhiteheadIn view of the homilies we have recently heard from the 1726 Government Front Bench about unemployment being caused by people pricing themselves out of jobs, is today's announcement of an increase of over 50 per cent. for the Governor of the Bank of England pricing Sir Gordon Richardson out of a job and if not, why not?
§ The Prime MinisterThe increase, which was reported in the newspapers this morning, and amounts to 55 per cent. in respect of the year from 1 July 1979 to 1980, followed six years in which there was no increase. Other groups during the year who, similarly, had had very little by way of increase in the years 1973 to 1978 have also done a considerable amount of catching up during this year. I must point out that for each of the past six years the Governor has voluntarily waived £6,000 of salary.
§ Mr. HigginsIs the First Lord of the Treasury aware that at Ten o'clock this evening we shall be asked to vote thousands of millions of pounds for Civil and Defence Estimates, including hundreds of millions of pounds for increases in Civil Service pay, which the Select Committee on the Treasury has specifically asked should be debated? Even so, there is to be no opportunity for Back Benchers to debate any of these matters before they are asked to vote upon them. Does my right hon. Friend agree that that is completely unsatisfactory and ought not to happen again?
§ The Prime MinisterI have a good deal of sympathy with my right hon. Friend. Perhaps we might consider the matter further in respect of next year's Estimates. As my right hon. Friend will be the first to recognise, by custom and habit this subject is chosen by the Opposition. We certainly would not wish to take up their time in any way. Perhaps we might persuade it through the usual channels, because I believe that my right hon. Friend has a very serious point.
§ Q2. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 31 July.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I have just given.
§ Mr. HamiltonWill the right hon. Lady find time to read the remarks of the Governor of the Bank of England 1727 about workers, and the need for them to tighten their belts? As he has many notches in his belt to tighten, in future will she undertake not to seek to lay down a 9½ per cent. increase target for the public sector while approving an increase of 56 per cent. for one of the highest-paid people in the land?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Gentleman is not correct. The salary of the Governor of the Bank of England is determined by the Court of the Bank of England. The salary increase was determined by the non-executive members of the court.
§ Mr. AitkenWill my right hon. Friend find time today to consider the industrial dispute at The Observer, where more than 1,000 employees are being made redundant as a result of militancy by 24 members of the National Graphical Association, who do not contribute to productivity but are trying to obtain a pay rate of more than £108 for one night's work? Does she agree that there could not be a more disgraceful example of destroying jobs by militancy?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is a precise example of what Conservative Members have been saying. A few people are trying to make a great deal of money for themselves at the expense of the jobs of others. They will not succeed.
§ Mr. AndersonDoes the Prime Minister recall her heartless advice to the jobless people in Wales, both young and old, that they should travel to find jobs? Is she aware that her right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, in answer to a question, suggested that they should go to Ogmore, the heads of the valleys and Cardigan? Would it help the right hon. Lady if she contacted the managers of the jobcentres in those areas? Is she aware that she will find that very few jobs are available compared with the vast number of people looking for jobs? Will she be rather less heartless in future?
§ The Prime MinisterI answered that question last Tuesday, when I pointed out that my actual remarks were that frequently investment is made where skilled people need work but that there must be some mobility. I took action on Tuesday to try to send extra invest- 1728 ment into Wales. I hope that that will help a little. It is evident from a report this week by the Cambridge economic policy review group that there has been a net migration of work into Wales. As the Leader of the Opposition and the Shadow Leader of the House are two migrants, that has caused problems.
§ Mr. Anthony GrantWhen my right hon. Friend has had an opportunity to consider fully the House of Lords ruling on the Granada case, will she bear in mind, before making any changes in the law, that the maintenance of the law is as important as the protection of a pretty cowardly sneak?
§ The Prime MinisterI agree that the law must be upheld. We shall consider whether the law needs to be changed. In the meantime, it must be upheld.
Mr. James CallaghanWhen the Prime Minister referred to the net migration into Wales, was she aware—as I know that she was—that that took place during the past five years? Is she further aware that it is the result of the scheduling of certain areas in Central Wales, especially the rural areas, for development, which will be de-scheduled tomorrow, 1 August? Does she realise that the de-scheduling has been the subject of substantial protests by the chairman of the development area in Central Wales? The scheduling of the areas was achieved by the widespread use of sections 7 and 8 of the Industry Act 1972. Why are the Government not now prepared to continue with those policies which resulted in a net migration into Wales?
§ The Prime MinisterThere was net migration into Wales between 1966 and 1978. The Cambridge economic policy review group points out that there has been net immigration into dynamic regions such as East Anglia, and attractive regions such as Wales and the South-West together with rising unemployment in those regions. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will be the first to admit that we tried to move some jobs into Wales as a result of decisions taken last Tuesday.
§ Mr. Temple-MorrisWill my right hon. Friend take time today to congratulate the Secretary of State for Trade on producing lower air fares on the North Atlantic and Far Eastern routes? Is not 1729 that further proof that her policy of competition works? Will she seek to extend that in the European theatre?
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Government are anxious to see more competition in air fares. That is the only means to bring down prices of air fares. Before we had private enterprise competition air fares were kept at a high level by the nationalised industries. People such as Freddie Laker have brought them down.