§ Q3. Mr. Neubertasked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 22 May.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave earlier.
§ Mr. NeubertIs my right hon. Friend aware that today is Professor Clegg's sixtieth birthday? Will she be wishing him many happy returns, or does she think that both his age and his recent decisions eminently qualify him and his commission for early retirement?
§ The Prime MinisterIt so happens that Professor Clegg let me know a few weeks ago that it was his intention to retire in September. My hon. Friend will also have heard that the terms of reference of the Clegg Commission are such that they have never been carried into operation. They were to study the feasibility of comparability, but in fact most of the referencesto the commission have asked it to make a recommendation. There is a question about whether one can establish genuine comparability between certain jobs.
§ Mr. McNamaraI revert to the Prime Minister's reply earlier to the hon. Member for Down, North (Mr. Kilfedder). Does she agree that if the continuing disturbances in Northern Ireland [HON. MEMBERS: "Disturbances?"]—indeed, the murder in Northern Ireland—place a great strain upon the economy of the Republic of Ireland, and enormous pressures upon its internal cohesion, the Prime Minister and people of the Republic have an interest in the settlement that is made within the Six Counties and have a right to be consulted about it as well?
§ The Prime MinisterOf course, the situation in Northern Ireland and the terrorism put a great burden upon that country and upon the people of Northern Ireland, not only in economic terms but in very human terms. But I must stress that we are getting very good co-operation on security matters across the border. Any change in the constitutional status of Northern Ireland is a matter for the people of Northern Ireland, this Government and this House.
§ Mr. MylesWill my right hon. Friend take time, despite her busy schedule today, to say a word of reassurance to our fishermen, because hers is a word that they know they can trust?
§ The Prime MinisterI shall gladly respond to my hon. Friend's invitation. The Government made a grant of £3 million to the fishing industry because of the serious and grave conditions that it faced. We keep constantly in touch with fishermen. I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland expects to visit my hon. Friend's constituency a week on Saturday, when he will doubtless have a chance to talk with local skippers and hear their views firsthand.
§ Mr. FittMay I revert to the meeting that the Prime Minister had yesterday afternoon with the Taioseach of the Irish Republic. Did she find any significant or specific difference of approach to the problems of Northern Ireland between the present Taioseach and that of his immediate predecessor? Was one more militant that the other—the present one or his predecessor?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Gentleman is inviting me to stray into dangerous paths. I must reject his invitation.
§ Q4. Mr. Trippierasked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements on Thursday 22 May.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave earlier.
§ Mr. TrippierDoes my right hon. Friend welcome the speech made earlier this week by Mr. Frank Chappie, emphasising the failure of trade union militancy in recent years and condemning sectionalism, selfishness and intimidation as well as unfair and undemocratic processes within the trade union movement?
§ The Prime MinisterI thought that it was an extremely interesting speech. Any selfishness on pay claims means that other people suffer through increased prices. We all know of the difficulties of intimidation and the problems it causes when people want to exercise their right to go to work. I thought that it was a speech to which we might all, including those in the trade union movement, give close attention.
§ Mrs. Renée ShortHas the Prime Minister had a look at the latest unemployment figures, published two days ago? Is she aware that the present unemployment level in the West Midlands is now higher than the national average and that GKN Sankey is about to sack hundreds of workers in Wolverhampton, Telford and elsewhere? What does the right hon. Lady intend to do to reverse this trend, to give those who want to work a chance to have a job?
§ The Prime MinisterI am afraid that levels of unemployment will continue to rise over the coming months, as there are some necessary rationalisations and reductions in over-manning to be made. We must go through with them in order to increase productivity and to get the rest of our industries into an efficient condition in which they can compete in the real world.
§ Mr. McQuarrieI accept what my right hon. Friend said to my hon. Friend the Member for Banff (Mr. Myles), but does she realise that in spite of the injection of £3 million into the fishing industry—which I welcome—there has been a serious deterioration in the industry? Can the Prime Minister find time urgently to meet the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to try to assist the fishermen? Does she accept that because time is not on their side they will go under unless something is done urgently?
§ The Prime MinisterI meet the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Scotland comparatively frequently. We consider and discuss the problems in the Common Market of trying to achieve a suitable fisheries policy. We recognise the urgency. My right hon. Friends are in constant touch with the fishing industry.