§ Q1. Ms. QuinTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 18 December.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. John Major)This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen.
§ Ms. QuinCan the Prime Minister explain how the creation of hereditary baronetcies fits in with his idea of the classless society?
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Lady cannot ask about the royal prerogative. [HON. MEMBERS: "Why not?"] It is a long convention and it is outside our rules. The hon. Lady must try a different tack.
§ Ms. QuinIs it true that the Prime Minister recommended the creation of a hereditary baronetcy? If that is the case—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. That is just as bad.
§ Q2. Mr. Roger KingTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 18 December.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The whole House knows that we do not bring the royal family into our discussions here.—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. This is absolutely disgraceful behaviour. The House knows the rules about this.
§ Mr. KingDoes my right hon. Friend share the enthusiasm of Conservative Members for the European Community's decision to lift sanctions against new investment in South Africa? Does he share my belief that only through that sort of investment can we bring peace and harmony to South Africa? Does he also share the belief of Oliver Tambo, expressed in his statement at the weekend, that the only people who wish to maintain comprehensive sanctions against South Africa are extreme elements of the African National Congress and the British Labour party?
§ The Prime MinisterThe European Council's agreement over the weekend to lift the ban on new investment in South Africa was a positive step for which Britain has been pressing for some time. I hope that other Governments will soon follow the European Community's example. The very great changes that we have seen in South Africa in recent years have been welcome. In due course, I hope that they will be able to continue and that we will be able properly to welcome South Africa back wholeheartedly into the African and world community.
§ Mr. KinnockWill the right hon. Gentleman confirm that the number of homes being built in Britain is at a lower level than at any time since the first world war?
§ The Prime MinisterI confirm to the right hon. Gentleman that over the recent few years more people have moved into home ownership and we have had a higher quality and standard of housing than ever before.
§ Mr. KinnockI wonder why the Prime Minister is refusing to answer a plain question. I hear what he says, but, as the Government have cut £6 billion from housing investment and imposed the highest mortgage rates in all of history, does he not realise that the Government are responsible for not only the loss of homes but vastly increased homelessness?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Gentleman will find that his facts are incorrect. On the quality, nature and quantity of housing, I am happy to match the record of this Government against that of any previous Government.
§ Mr. KinnockWill the Prime Minister then acknowledge, first, that during the time that he has been Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer and now Prime Minister, the Government have made huge cuts in housing budgets? Will he confirm that under this 152 Government mortgage rates have been higher for longer than ever before and that while the Government have halved housing investment they have doubled homelessness?
§ The Prime MinisterIn his list the right hon. Gentleman wholly overlooks the remarkable changes made to the voluntary housing movement, housing associations and action on homelessness.
§ Mr. RidleyIs my right hon. Friend aware that the chairman of the Bundesbank, Herr Pail, said the other day that interest rates should be set according to monetary conditions and should not be used to affect the exchange rate? Is he aware that many of my hon. Friends agree with that view and that if we use interest rates to maintain the exchange rate, we are likely to have a wider and deeper recession than we need to control inflation?
§ The Prime MinisterAs my right hon. Friend knows, there is a clear relationship between interest rate and exchange rate policy. My right hon. Friend referred to the governor of the Bundesbank. The deutschmark is also part of the exchange rate mechanism and Germany has done rather well as a result of that.
§ Mr. AshdownDid the Prime Minister read the comments made at the weekend by the Governor of the Bank of England? He said that the Prime Minister's decision, when Chancellor, to cut interest rates in advance of the Tory party conference meant that his party gained a political dividend too early, for which jobs and industry are now paying.
§ The Prime MinisterThe right hon. Gentleman should read all of what the Governor said. He made it clear that the matter was fully discussed with him and that a joint decision was reached.
§ Sir Marcus FoxSetting aside the argument that shops should obey the law—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I am not certain that that is a very good start.
§ Sir Marcus FoxIs my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister aware that there is a huge demand among shoppers and traders alike and an urgent need to allow people to shop on Sundays? Does he agree that the present law should be reformed?
§ The Prime MinisterThe present law on Sunday trading is widely felt to be unsatisfactory, as my hon. Friend made clear. We tried to reform the law, but on that occasion our proposals did not find favour with the House. I can well understand the impatience of hon. Members about the state of the Sunday trading law.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder.
§ The Prime MinisterA great deal of the Sunday trading law is bizarre and the time may well be approaching when the Sunday observance lobby should sit down with the r: tail trade to see whether an acceptable compromise can be reached. As the House knows, there is an acceptable law in Scotland which has not wrecked the special significance of Sunday. I should welcome such a law in England.
§ Q3. Mr. PikeTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 18 December.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. PikeDoes the Prime Minister recognise at this time of seasonal goodwill the mortgage misery of millions of people who are paying considerably more than would otherwise be the case because of the Government's financial mismanagement during the past few years? Does he recognise that in the north-west an average mortgage of £34,800 is costing £110 a month more than it would have done two and a half years ago?
§ The Prime MinisterI understand clearly the problems faced by many people with high mortgage rates. The underlying necessity is to get the inflation rate down, and interest rate policy is a necessary part of that.
§ Mr. Andrew BowdenIs my right hon. Friend aware that every week many thousands of British animals are sent to antiquated European slaughterhouses and that they arrive hungary and thirsty, battered and damaged? Will he please take steps to stop this needless cruelty to and suffering of animals?
§ The Prime MinisterA great deal of that is unattractive. There are laws covering the circumstances in which such exports take place and I shall examine them personally, as my hon. Friend suggests.
§ Q4. Mr. JannerTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 18 December.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the answer that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. JannerWhat comfort can the Prime Minister give to my 89-year-old constituent, Mrs. Phyllis Smith, who, like thousands of other elderly people who live in rest homes, can no longer get free incontinence aids from the national health service? What would he advise her to do with bills for £179, such as this one, when she is on income support and cannot afford to buy these aids which are basic essentials of human dignity?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. and learned Gentleman is as aware as anyone in the House that both the general level of provision and the specific level of income support are higher today than at any previous time.
Mr. Robert G. HughesIs my right hon. Friend aware that his calm and intelligent approach to the European summit and the negotiations has aroused widespread admiration in my constituency and across the country? My constituents recognise, as he recognises, that we have everything to gain from the negotiations, working out together with our European partners solutions to the many problems that face the European Community.
§ The Prime MinisterI am certainly grateful to my hon. Friend. It is clear within the EC that on some matters we have a distinct view and we shall sustain it. On those occasions we shall in future, as so often in the past, win the arguments.
§ Q5. Mr. Roy HughesTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 18 December.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. HughesThe Prime Minister has spoken of creating a classless society. What sort of classless society will it be if, as forecast, unemployment once again goes beyond the 2 million mark? Why does he not at least take the advice of the Confederation of British Industry and reduce interest rates without delay?
§ The Prime MinisterIt is because we are determined to bring inflation down and keep it down, not to bring it down artificially at the risk of a greater problem later.
Q6. Mr. Andy StewartTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 18 December.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. StewartRecently, the chairman of British Coal announced record financial profits—the best for 13 years. Recently, our miners produced an all-time productivity record of more than 5 tonnes per man-shift. Recently, the mineworkers' pension scheme announced an increase in pensions of more than 15 per cent. Will my right hon. Friend take this opportunity to congratulate all those people on making those records attainable?
§ The Prime MinisterI am certainly happy to do so. British Coal and its work force deserve great credit for their achievements, particularly for their recent record level of productivity. It will provide a firm foundation for the future of the coal industry.
§ Mr. MallonNobody can fail to have been impressed by the Prime Minister's stated conviction that everyone in this country has a right to his or her place in the sun and to equal opportunity. As we approach Christmas, will the right hon. Gentleman ponder on the plight of the Birmingham Six, who face their 16th year in prison for a crime that many believe they have not committed? When he ponders on that, will he join with me in my anger at the words of an Appeal Court judge yesterday—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder.
§ Mr. Mallon—when he said—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Member knows that that case is sub judice.
§ The Prime MinisterAs the hon. Gentleman knows, a date is fixed for the hearing and in advance of that there is no more I can say at the moment.
§ Q7. Mr. CouchmanTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 18 December.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. CouchmanDuring his busy day, will my right hon. Friend contact the commander of the British Forces in the Gulf and convey to him the best wishes and prayers of hon. Members in all parts of the House for all our troops as we rise for Christmas? Will he assure General de la Billiêre that our hopes remain high that Saddam Hussein will withdraw his forces from Kuwait without the need for further bloodshed?
§ The Prime MinisterI am happy to join my hon. Friend in those wishes. We owe a tremendous debt to our forces in the Gulf and I am sure that, without exception, we wish them a happy Christmas. I look forward to going out to visit them very shortly after Christmas.
As for the solution of the Gulf crisis, that rests squarely with Saddam Hussein. Time is running out for him. The international community has made it clear that force will be used if Iraq has not withdrawn totally and unconditionally from Kuwait by 15 January. I hope that Saddam Hussein will take that very seriously indeed.
§ Q8. Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 18 December.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. IllsleyAs the Government's economic policy is leading to only one consequence, which is higher 156 unemployment, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman to ask his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to ensure that more money is made available under the revenue support grant settlement for areas such as mine, where unemployment is already at double national average levels? Will he ensure that more money is made available in January by that means to alleviate some of the problems of that degree of unemployment?
§ The Prime MinisterThe consequence of economic management next year will be lower inflation and renewed growth. My right hon. Friend will make a revenue support grant statement in due course.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I will take points of order after the statement.