§ 9. Mr. Pikeasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next proposes to meet the Trades Union Congress to discuss industrial development.
§ Mr. ChannonI and other Ministers of my Department meet representatives of the TUC at meetings of the National Economic Development Council, where such questions arise regularly.
§ Mr. PikeWill the Government take positive steps with the TUC to encourage industrial growth and get people back to work, recognising the importance of manufacturing industry to the economy and recognising that many people feel that the TUC and the Labour party have better policies than the Government to deal with the problem?
§ Mr. ChannonThere are not many of those.
§ Mr. John SmithWhat about Fulham?
§ Mr. ChannonWe shall see. I shall resist the right hon. and learned Gentleman's provocation and answer the question. The hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike), who referred to manufacturing industry, will be pleased to know that manufacturing investment has risen considerably, as have manufacturing output, manufacturing productivity and manufacturing exports. The pospects for growth in the economy are very good.
§ Mr. Richard PageWhen my right hon. Friend meets the TUC, will he go out of his way to point out that low inflation and stable prices will do more for industry than anything else? Will he remind the TUC of the effect of 865 high inflation at 20 per cent. plus when the Labour party was in power and of the consequent problems for British industry?
§ Mr. ChannonYes, Sir. If there were to be a Labour Government, which God forbid, there would be rising inflation, worse competitiveness, increased taxation, fewer incentives, less profitability, more state intervention, more burdens and less enterprise.
§ Mr. WilliamsWill the Secretary of State tell the House whether manufacturing investment or manufacturing production has yet reached the level that his party inherited when it came to office?
§ Mr. ChannonI can only say to the right hon. Gentleman, as I have told him before, that since the depth of the recession, manufacturing productivity is up 34 per cent., exports are at a new record, output is up and investment is up. All that good news is what the right hon. Gentleman and his colleagues hate to hear.