§ Q3. Mr. SoamesTo ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 April.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. SoamesMay I return my right hon. Friend to the mutiny at Strangeways prison? [HON. MEMBERS' ``Yes."] Having regard to the earlier answer that she gave, may I ask if she is aware that there is a significant body of public opinion in Britain which cannot understand why the recapture of the prisoners should have been allowed to take such a long time? Will she reassure the House that the prison service will get whatever equipment it says that it needs to control riots in prisons?
§ The Prime MinisterI shall return for a moment to the subject of the Strangeways riots. I said previously that I thought that we could not second guess the decision of those on the spot in consultation with the Home Office. It would be mistaken hindsight for us each to express our views without having been on the spot at the time.
Like my hon. Friend the Member for Crawley (Mr. Soames) and my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary, I am glad that the disturbances have ended. My right hon. and learned Friend will be making a full statement on those disturbances immediately after Question Time. In the past few days, the Home Office has placed orders for an extra £750,000 worth of equipment and clothing for the personal protection of officers who may have to deal with prison disturbances. My right hon. and learned Friend will be giving further details later.
§ Mr. KinnockIn view of yesterday's further evidence of the appalling balance of payments position, what changes does the Prime Minister intend to make in her economic policies?
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government have no changes to make in their economic policies. In view of the right hon. Gentleman's question, I hope that we shall receive his support in trying to keep down unit labour costs and, therefore, that he will not support every increase in pay which is unrelated to productivity.
§ Mr. KinnockI remember when the Prime Minister used to think that unit labour costs were a matter of market movement and not a matter for politicians. Does she realise that Britain now has the highest inflation and the lowest growth rate of any of the major industrialised countries? Is she aware that it is now three years since the last time we had a monthly balance of payments surplus? Is she willing to recognise that no Government have ever had it so wrong for so long, and does she not owe it to the country to change from her disastrous policies?
§ The Prime MinisterI am interested that the right hon. Gentleman thinks it so wrong to have the highest number of jobs that there have ever been in this country's history. That is the basis of the people's prosperity. I am also interested that he thinks it so wrong to have the highest level of capital investment in manufacturing industry, and the highest output. We think that that is a good basis for the future.
§ Mr. Bill WalkerHas my right hon. Friend noticed that in the second year of the community charge in Scotland 483 local authorities' expenditure programmes are largely within the rate of inflation and that 20 of them have expenditure programmes at about the same level or below the level the previous year? Does not that show clearly that the community charge is working? [Interruption.] Oh yes, it is. More importantly, those people in Scotland who have paid their community charge have little sympathy for those who can pay but refuse to pay, such as the provost of Angus district who is now using his community charge money to run around in a car which is not paid for by himself?
§ The Prime MinisterWhat my hon. Friend is suggesting is that in the first year of the community charge local authorities try to increase their expenditure and blame the community charge instead of themselves, but in the second year they cannot do that and may therefore be more conscientious in trying to curb their expenditure. The community charge law was passed by the House and, like all laws, it should be observed by all honourable citizens.
§ Q4. Mr. WrayTo ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 April.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. WrayWill the Prime Minister kindly apologise for the attack that she made on the Scottish people when she said that they were subsidised by the tolerant English? Will she also make it clear that although when the poll tax was 484 being implemented in Scotland and her advisers' answer was yes, yes, yes, the answer from the heartbeat of Glasgow and all Scotland is no, no, no?
§ The Prime MinisterAs for the practical part of the hon. Gentleman's question, he will be aware that the community charge in Scotland meets only one fifth—20 per cent.—of local government expenditure. The community charge in England meets 30 per cent. of local government expenditure. We in England would very much like to have the same proportion of grant as Scotland enjoys.
§ Mr. Barry FieldDoes my right hon. Friend agree with the awful historical statistic that, of the 800 Isle of Wight riflemen who were sent to reinforce the beach head at Gallipoli, only 180 returned without injury?
§ Dr. GodmanTake your hands out of your pockets.
§ Mr. FieldDoes my right hon. Friend agree that that statistic is the best reason why we should have a strong NATO, supported by an excellent military ally such as Turkey, and that we should modernise our nuclear deterrent, and is notit a timely reminder of the unity that the Commonwealth gives us in adversity?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, I agree with my hon. Friend. It is particularly noteworthy that when we were celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings we did so with Turkey as a main ally of this country. Both of us believe staunchly that NATO provides us with a sure defence against such things happening again.