§ Q6. Mr. David MartinTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 28 November.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. MartinIs my right hon. Friend aware that in Portsmouth, which is connected to the continent by the finest ferry services in the country, there is a growing realisation that success at Maastricht is crucial to trade and investment, on which jobs depend, and that the main prize to be achieved is an agreement which recognises the importance of closer co-operation between European nations rather than moves towards inevitable integration?
§ The Prime MinisterI agree with my hon. Friend. It is crucial to our trade and investment that we continue to play a leading role in the Community. All the Governments of the Community, without exception, are working for an agreement at Maastricht, but there are important national interests at stake. I am negotiating for an agreement that reflects our national interests and is also in the interests of a wider Europe.
§ Mrs. WiseDoes the Prime Minister understand that his description of the Sunday trading laws as "bizarre" has encouraged law breaking? Will he withdraw that word and condemn the retail giant law breakers?
§ The Prime MinisterI should have thought that the hon. Lady would now recognise that the description that I gave was entirely apposite. The present situation is unsatisfactory. There are acute difficulties in changing that in the short term. The House of Lords has concluded that our Sunday trading laws are unclear and has therefore referred them to the European Court of Justice to clarify whether they are compatible with European law. We hope that the European Court will make its ruling at the earliest possible moment so that the House of Lords can give a judgment. In the light of that, the next step will be for the Government to identify proposals that will command the support of the House.
§ Q7. Mr. David EvansTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 28 November.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. EvansWill my right hon. Friend confirm that on 15 May 1983 he said:
We want out of the Common Market?Could he also tell me whether he said on 16 December 1983:We are committed to a non-nuclear defence policy?Also will he confirm that in August 1991 he said:I think the people trust me. They trust me for my word and my attitude.Would he also tell me——
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I think that is enough.
§ The Prime MinisterI can confirm that, of course, I made none of those statements, but I believe that each of them can be attributed to the Leader of the Opposition. It was also the Leader of the Opposition who said that if he were to abandon socialism he would not be worth voting for.
§ Q8. Mr. Bill MichieTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 28 November.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. MichieWill the Prime Minister tell the House where my constituent Joanne, who is on a vocational course, receives £35 a week, lives on her own through no choice of her own, occasionally goes without food and sits in the dark because she has no coins for the meter, fits into his citizens charter and the classless society?
§ The Prime MinisterI cannot comment on individual cases without all the information available in front of me. If the hon. Gentleman will provide me with all the information, I shall examine the case.
§ Q9. Dr. TwinnTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 28 November.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave some moments ago.
§ Dr. TwinnI thank my right hon. Friend for his clear and positive support for finding a solution in Cyprus. Will he now seek the urgent help of the President of the United States in making it clear to the new Government in Turkey that the west expects a positive and constructive contribution to the United Nations peace process from now on?
§ The Prime MinisterI have discussed Cyprus with President Bush on more than one occasion and we both actively supported the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General. A settlement will require good will on both sides and I hope that the new Turkish Government will play a full, constructive and early part in the Secretary-General's renewed efforts to find a settlement. A settlement in Cyprus is long overdue.
§ Q10. Mr. CanavanTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 28 November.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. CanavanHave the Government finally abandoned the erstwhile Tory doctrine that the rule of law must be upheld in all circumstances, now that the Attorney-General is turning a blind eye to big supermarkets breaking the Sunday trading law and as the poll tax non-payment campaign has apparently recruited the architect's daughter?
§ The Prime MinisterThe law must be obeyed. In the case of Sunday trading, it is not at the moment clear, because of the House of Lords' ruling, what the law may be. In the case of the community charge, the law is clear. People should pay their community charge. It might have helped if the hon. Gentleman had given people a better example in that respect.