§ 27. Mr. ShersbyTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next intends to visit the Duchy.
§ 30. Mr. BowisTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to visit the Duchy in the immediate future.
§ Mr. Chris PattenI plan to visit Lancashire on 12, 22 and 23 April.
§ Mr. ShersbyWhen my right hon. Friend next visits the Duchy will he make a particular point of calling at Preston and at Fulwood, where I had the good fortune recently to spend a very interesting day calling on Conservative voters? Will he reassure people there that the crippling community charge imposed by Preston council and by Lancashire county council will be greatly abated by the introduction of the new measures announced last week by the Secretary of State for the Environment, my right hon. Friend the Member for Henley (Mr. Heseltine)?
§ Mr. PattenI am sure that the measures announced last week will be good for people in Preston, and also for people elsewhere in the county Palatine. Voters in Preston should take note of the number of Preston Labour councillors who have refused to pay their community charge but continue to draw their allowances.
§ Mr. BowisWhen my right hon. Friend visits the county Palatine he will see that the Government's resolute support for the measures in the prevention of terrorism Acts receive a widespread welcome there and that there is widespread puzzlement at the Labour party's opposition to that legislation and its desire to deny people protection.
§ Mr. PattenIt is a matter of genuine regret that the Labour party has recently proved so feeble in its resistance to terrorism. It has slipped away from the line that was pursued, for instance, by the noble Lord Mason when he was Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.