§ Q2. Dame Jill Knightasked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 February.
§ The Prime MinisterThis morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, and attended the memorial service for the first Earl of Stockton. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen.
§ Dame Jill KnightIs my right hon. Friend aware of the strong public feeling that court sentences are too often so lenient that they do not deter and thus offer no protection whatever to the public? Since guidelines laid down even by the Lord Chief Justice and the Lord Chancellor on this matter have consistently been ignored by judges, will my 158 right hon. Friend find time in her busy day to consider the possibility of supporting a suggestion that inadequate sentences be referred to an appeal court?
§ The Prime MinisterI am well aware of strong feelings about certain sentences. In general, the guidelines laid down by the Lord Chief Justice have been followed. However, there appear to be some cases where that is not so, and they have given rise to great concern. As my hon. Friend is aware, clause 29 of the Criminal Justice Bill would give a power to the Attorney-General to refer a particular sentence to the Court of Appeal, with the leave of that court, for it to say, not what the sentence should have been in the specific case—so it would not affect the case my hon. Friend has in mind — but to give a guideline about what would be an appropriate sentence for such a case in future. Of course, that would be argued in open court and people could hear the arguments. The guideline would then have more effect. Such a clause will help public opinion and help to give a clear indication by the Court of Appeal about a proper sentence.
§ Mr. SteelAs the National Farmers Union conference this morning called for the resignation of the Minister of Agriclture, Fisheries and Food, will the right hon. Lady see to it? Does she recognise that his statement yesterday, taken together with the Secretary of State for the Environment's recent Green Paper abolishing structure plans, amounts to a free-for-all for development in the countryside? Will this not simply accelerate the north-south drift and turn our farmers from stewards of our land into speculators in it?
§ The Prime MinisterIf the right hon. Gentleman has read the draft circular for consultation, he will know that what he says is nonsense. There is no question of removing planning controls on agricultural land. There is nothing in the proposals to reduce the protection given to the green belt, national parks or other areas of good countryside. What we have said is that it no longer makes sense to apply reservations on agricultural grounds to less good land that is being proposed for development. Each planning application will continue to be considered on its merits according to the usual planning considerations.
With regard to the motion of the National Farmers Union this morning, the NFU's action reflects a short-term view of the farming community. The last chairman of the NFU took a different view, which was set out in the NFU booklet "The Way Forward". This Government have made the preservation of a strong rural community an important objective. If the farming community wishes to have — [Interruption.] It will not be lost on the farming community that the Labour party is committed to rating agricultural land, tighter planning controls and increased capital taxation.
§ Viscount CranborneMy right hon. Friend will be aware of the visit this week to Britain of Maulawi Younes Khales, leader of the Hezb-i-Islami of Afghanistan. Will my right hon. Friend therefore take time today to reassert Her Majesty's Government's support for the right to self-determination for the people of Afghanistan, free of outside interference?
§ The Prime MinisterWe believe wholeheartedly, as my hon. Friend says, in self-determination for the people of Afghanistan, and that the occupying forces of the Soviet Union should be withdrawn completely.
§ Q3. Mr. Fauldsasked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 February 1987.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. FauldsAs this morning the National Farmers Union—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman has a right to ask his question, as has any hon. Member.
§ Mr. FauldsI am most grateful to you, Sir. May I assure you that the chiacking will not silence me. We will start again. As this morning the National Farmers Union passed a vote of no confidence in the right hon. Lady's Minister of Agriculture — a matter quite without precedent—and, indeed, demanded his resignation, and in view of the consternation that he is causing among his parliamentary colleagues and fellow Ministers, does the Prime Minister retain any confidence in him?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, complete confidence. My right hon. Friend has done a great deal to try to modify the common agricultural policy. Whatever votes were passed by the NFU this morning, in agriculture, food supply and demand must be brought more closely into balance, and surpluses eliminated. New surpluses must not build up through the intervention system. That matter will have to be dealt with in the interests of taxpayers, and consumers—all who purchase goods.
§ Q4. Mr. Hannamasked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 February.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. HannamHas my right hon. Friend studied the detailed account of the events leading up to the cancellation by the BBC of Ian Curteis's play on the 160 Falklands war? Does my right hon. Friend agree that the actions of the leading BBC officials in trying to enforce changes in the script, just because the play appeared to be pro-British, pro-Government and pro-Prime Minister, are disgraceful? Should not the BBC hand over the script to ITV so that it can produce the play to commemorate the successful defence of freedom?
§ The Prime MinisterI am grateful for what my hon. Friend says. I am sure that the people concerned will take careful note of his comments.
§ Mr. SpeakerMr. Rooker.
§ Mr. RookerWhere is the morality—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Question No. 5.
§ Q5. Mr. Rookerasked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 February.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. RookerI repeat: where is the morality in the British Government allowing Iranian arms dealers to organise their arms purchases from London when there are British citizens in Iranian gaols who have not been charged or brought to trial?
§ The Prime MinisterAs the hon. Gentleman is aware, the only powers that Governments have are to prevent exports of such arms from London without an export licence. There has been no such export licence. I am afraid that if the hon. Gentleman wants us to take powers to find out what goes on in every office we shall totally reject that.
§ Mr. Tom ClarkeOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I will take the hon. Gentleman's point of order later.