§ Q5. Mr. John TownendTo ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 January.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. TownendIs my hon. Friend aware of the bitterness in the Hull area about the continued closure of the container terminal, which cost £3 million? It is another victim of the national dock labour scheme, which is causing the port of Hull to wither on the vine. When will the Government take pity on the once great port of Hull, abolish the national dock labour scheme and enable Hull to compete on equal terms in a free market with Felixstowe and other North sea ports?
§ The Prime MinisterI understand how strongly my hon. Friend feels about Hull and that he feels that sometimes ports outside the scheme flourish far better than those inside the scheme. I know how strongly he feels and how strongly a number of my other hon. Friends feel about it. I am sorry that I have to disappoint him, but I have nothing further to add to the statements that I have made previously on this subject.
§ Mr. SpeakerI understand that the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) has lost her voice. I propose to call her question for her and then call the hon. member for Bristol, South (Ms. Primarolo) to read her supplementary.
§ Q6. Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 January.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Lady's proxy to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
§ Ms. PrimaroloThis is the reality of job share.
Given the Prime Minister's new-found enthusiasm—[HON. MEMBERS: "Reading."] Given the Prime Minister's new-found enthusiasm for having more women in public life and in the work force generally, may I ask her how she expects that to come about while women's pay still lags as far behind men's as it did 10 years ago and while the Government refuse to fund state nurseries or give financial help to working mothers? Or does the Prime Minister's advice to women simply consist of telling them to follow her example and find themselves a wealthy husband?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Lady's last remark is singularly offensive and, if I may say so, really rather cheap. I would point out that the fact that hon. Members have absolutely equal pay, regardless of whether they are hon. Gentlemans or hon. Ladies, does not increase the number of hon. Ladies in the House.