Engagements (Hansard, 28 June 1990)

§ Q3. Mr. Marland
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 28 June.

§ The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

§ Mr. Marland
As my right hon. Friend knows, Gloucestershire county council is run by the soggy hand of the Liberal Alliance and has spent millions of pounds over an already excessive budget, which is causing great anxiety to many of my constituents. In her review of the working of the community charge, will my right hon. Friend seek to ensure that some mechanism is introduced to curb such profligacy?

§ The Prime Minister
My hon. Friend is quite right about Gloucestershire. This year it has increased its expenditure by twice the rate of inflation. In our review of the community charge we are certainly bearing in mind that chargepayers want to be protected against the excessive spending of such councils. We shall bring forward proposals before the House rises.

§ Q4. Mr. Haynes
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 28 June.

§ The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

§ Mr. Haynes
rose—

Hon. Members
Hear, hear.

§ Mr. Haynes
rose—[Interruption.]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. Let us give the hon. Gentleman a fair chance.

§ Mr. Haynes
Mr. Speaker, Sir. [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear"] Is the Prime Minister aware that the crime figures presented today are appalling? Is she also aware that the morale of the police force in the various constabularies across the country is at its lowest ebb? Is she also aware of the fiddle that has been going on about Aerospace? How does she expect British citizens to behave themselves when the Government go on like that? Is she aware that the Government sanction—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I think that the House has now been made aware of two questions—that is enough.

§ The Prime Minister
In so far as I was able to hear the hon. Gentleman, yes, the crime figures out today are extremely disappointing, although we must remember that violent crime in this country occurs on a very much lesser scale than in some other countries. The overall figures show that 25 per cent. of all crime is car related, and my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary intends to have talks with car producers to see if we can reduce that figure.
I do not accept that the morale of the police is low. They have had a very good deal on pay—so good that everyone else wants to emulate them—and they have had full support from the Government in their most important work.
487 With regard to British Aerospace as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry explained in his statement on 30 November 1989, the relative items of which the hon. Gentleman was speaking were included in the estimates and reports to Parliament. Full details were made available to the Comptroller and Auditor General"—[Official Report, 30 November 1989; Vol. 162, c. 859.] Finally may I point out what the Commission says in its report—

§ Mr. Campbell-Savours
Did you know?

§ The Prime Minister
The Commission said that the price of £150 million represented a reasonable purchase price, given all of the circumstances of the sale.

§ Mr. Haynes
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I want to make it clear to you—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I will take points of order later.