West Yorkshire (Hansard, 28 November 1989)

§ Q2. Mr. Cryer
To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to pay an official visit to west Yorkshire.

§ The Prime Minister
At present I have no plans to do so.

§ Mr. Cryer
Does the aspiring President for life and Prime Minister accept that if she visited west Yorkshire she would find extensive anger and resentment about water privatisation because, over the years, billions of people have bought and paid for a comprehensive system of water supply and disposal through the rates? When sites are sold off which people already own it is regarded as legalised theft. Is she aware that if the right hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Heseltine) had the guts to stand against her she would be swept from office and dumped with the garbage of her policies?

§ The Prime Minister
As the hon. Gentleman is aware, 25 per cent. of the water supply industry is already privatised. Even Socialist France knows that privatised water is a better deal than nationalised water. I hope that water privatisation will proceed successfully. The hon. Gentleman had better wait and see in the light of the facts rather than pontificate.

§ Mr. Gill
In view of the dramatic events unfolding in eastern Europe—[Interruption.]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Member must ask a question about west Yorkshire.