§ 33. Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he proposes to implement a constituents charter.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI have no such plans. Constituents already enjoy competition and choice—and the right to demand redress—through the ballot box.
§ Mr. BanksThat seems to be a great lost opportunity. Would it not be an imaginative extension of the charter principle if constituents—electors—were able to get some recompense from a Government who break promises that they made at the general election? To take one example from many—[Interruption.] the Prime Minister has come in on time—I refer to the promise made by the Prime Minister when, just before the election in April, he said, "Vote Conservative on Thursday and the recovery continues on Friday".
§ Mr. WaldegraveSo far as I remember, the deputy Leader of the Labour party has already withdrawn all the proposals made at the election, so the hon. Gentleman's suggestion seems rather foolish. He has had the opportunity to put the arguments to the electorate three or four times now, and he has always been rejected.
§ Mr. Nigel EvansDoes my right hon. Friend agree that if we had a constituents charter there should be regular testing, as there is at general elections? In the past four general elections our constituents have had their say on how well we have behaved and performed. In 1979 they voted Conservative. In 1983 they voted Conservative. In 1987 they voted Conservative. In 1992 they voted Conservative. Therefore, the hon. Gentleman has his answer on consumer testing of what policies our constituents prefer—those of the Labour party or those of the Conservative party.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI would only complete the prospect by saying that it is likely that our constituents will do the same again in 1996 or 1997.