HC Deb 15 November 1984 vol 67 cc791-2
Q1. Mr. Marlow

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 15 November.

The Prime Minister (Mrs. Margaret Thatcher)

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.

Mr. Marlow

Does my right hon. Friend share the pride of the right hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Callaghan) in the breed of men who man our pits? As it now appears that the House, the nation and a growing number of miners have had enough of the dispute in the coalfields, will my right hon. Friend do all that she can to heal the wounds caused by eight months of bitterness, violence and Scargillism?

The Prime Minister

I welcome the condemnations of violence in the past few days, but I regret that they are not universal. When the strike ends—and I hope that it will end soon—we shall have to do as much as we possibly can to build on moderate, responsible, reasonable and constructive trade unionism.

Mr. James Callaghan

Is the Prime Minister aware that she will be meeting the wishes of both sides of the House if she asks the Cabinet to reconsider the entire Foreign Office Vote—for overseas aid, representation, the overseas news service and the British Council, all of which are so important for our influence overseas—and comes back to the House with a new statement and fresh proposals?

The Prime Minister

As the right hon. Gentleman will be the first to recognise, when one has considered and finalised all the PESC figures it is highly unlikely that any one of them can be reopened. Indeed, I must really say that they cannot be reopened. Having seen the autumn statement, however, the right hon. Gentleman will be aware that only two Departments have precisely the figure for the coming year which they knew they would have from the last White Paper. One is the Foreign Office. The other is the Ministry of Defence. If the right hon. Gentleman will contain his impatience a little longer, it is possible that there may be a debate on this next week, when the matter can be discussed more fully.