§ Mr. Richard Tracey (Surbiton) (by private notice)asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will outline what action the British Government are taking to alleviate the plight of British lorry drivers and other British motorists stranded in France as a result of the industrial action of the French lorry drivers.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. (Mr. Malcolm Rifkind)Consular assistance is being provided to those in need. Consular officials have been touring the main areas of disruption contacting groups they know to be stranded. They are providing cash, against the undertakings, where it is needed. Local inhabitants and French authorities have also been offering shelter and food. We have made our concern for the safety and welfare of British lorry drivers and other travellers very clear to the French Government in Paris and to the French ambassador here.
§ Mr. TraceyI am grateful to my hon. Friend, as will be the relatives of the drivers. However, I ask my hon. Friend to make the strongest possible representations to the French Government and to convey the condemnation of the House of this unbelieveable action by French lorry drivers. Will my hon. Friend look into the possibilities of airlifting by helicopter the lorry drivers who may have been stuck in sub-zero, freezing conditions for nine or 10 days, and replacing them with other crews?
§ Mr. RifkindAction of the sort suggested by my hon. Friend has already been taken. Representations were made in Paris. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State saw the French ambassador, when he expressed the great concern of Her Majesty's Government. With regard to assisting lorry drivers to leave the places where they are stranded, if there is any danger to them, action to resolve that problem will be taken by Her Majesty's Government. At the moment that is not the most serious problem. There have been individual cases of need for financial help, which is being provided, and assistance is being given with food supplies, but the vast majority of drivers wish to remain where they are so that they can look after their lorries.
§ Mr. Russell Johnston (Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber)The French Minister of Transport has made a request to insurance companies to reimburse drivers whose vehicles have been damaged in the riots. Is that obligatory? Will it extend to those who have suffered long delays? If not, is there any possibility of the United Kingdom Government providing financial assistance?
§ Mr. RifkindHer Majesty's Government will certainly not be liable, but the question of compensation was raised by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State when he saw the French Ambassador yesterday. The Ambassador was unable to give my hon. Friend an immediate reply, but promised to look into that aspect of the matter.
§ Mr. John Farr (Harborough)What is my hon. Friend doing about those small British exporting firms and hauliers which are in some financial difficulty? Will he look into the situation today as a matter of urgency, and consider what help the Government can provide?
§ Mr. RifkindThe position of companies within the United Kingdom would not be a matter for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, but I can assure my hon. Friend that I will draw his remarks to the attention of the relevant Secretary of State.
§ Mr. D. N. Campbell-Savours (Workington)Is the Minister of State aware that in the past one and a half hours I have been approached on behalf of British drivers at a routier at Chamonix in south-west France? They reported an incident yesterday when CRS French riot police drove a British driver out of his cab with the use of tear gas shells. He was taken into hospital last night in Chamonix and discharged himself this morning. Is this not a disgrace? Should not the Government make the strongest representations to the French authorities about this incident and gain an assurance that it will not happen again?
§ Mr. RifkindIf such an incident has taken place in the way that the hon. Gentleman has described, clearly it is a most serious matter. I will ensure that the hon. Gentleman's claim is investigated.
§ Mr. George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley)May I make it clear that the Opposition do not consider that the Government are acting with sufficient urgency on this matter? The picture painted by the Minister of State is entirely different from that given in the media. Can the Minister of State guarantee that all stranded British motorists and lorry drivers are being supplied with the necessary food and equipment, and that those who are in danger are being offered the opportunity of being airlifted out? If the Foreign Secretary can fly to Paris and back, surely we should look after our citizens in France?
Will the Minister give a clear assurance that we will demand compensation from the French Government for people who lose cargoes, suffer bankruptcy or may have extra costs as a result of this incident? Can the Minister give firm assurances rather than bland generalisations?
§ Mr. RifkindThe hon. Gentleman has made his usual constructive and practical suggestions. He has told us that his claims are based on what he has seen in the media. As the most recent comments that I heard on the media were by the hon. Gentleman himself, making the same wild allegations based on no substantive evidence, he must allow me to have some doubts about the credibility of his case.
If the hon. Gentleman had listened to my earlier remarks, he would not have had to ask whether the British Government were making representations about compensation. I have already informed the House that that has been done. That shows the value of the hon. Gentleman's interest in these matters. I repeat that we already have consular assistance in the area and are ready and willing to provide any extra consular assistance necessary to ensure the lives and well-being of those concerned. These matters are treated very seriously indeed by our consular staff in Lyons and elsewhere.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I remind the House that a private notice question is an extension of Question time. There is a statement and a ten-minute Bill to follow. This is an Opposition day, and I remind the House that a large number of hon. Members wish to take part.