§ Sir George GardinerTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 4 February.
§ 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.
§ Sir George GardinerDoes my right hon. Friend agree that to suggest that there is one kind of school that can cater for the needs of all kinds of pupils is an example of the naive theorising that has caused so many problems in education, which we are seeking to address today? Will he continue to press for diversity in education through grant-maintained schools, through city technology colleges and through local management of schools responsive to parents' wishes?
§ The Prime MinisterI agree with the premise underlying my hon. Friend's question. We will certainly continue to encourage diversity through grant-maintained schools, CTCs and locally managed schools, all of which give greater opportunity and choice to parents and pupils. We will continue to offer that choice.
§ Mr. KinnockAt the time when the Prime Minister said that if his policies
were not hurting, they were not working,did he realise that those policies would cause the longest recession since the 1930s?
§ The Prime MinisterWe have taken action to ensure that we come out of this recession in a way that will ensure sustained recovery. As the Governor of the Bank of England said only yesterday,
the conditions are now in place to underpin a … sustained recovery.
§ Mr. KinnockHaving caused the longest recession since the 1930s, does the Prime Minister agree with the words of his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who said last month:
the policy would not have been different even if we had known the outcome."?
§ The Prime MinisterCaused the recession?—Did we cause it in the United States, in Sweden, in Japan, in Australia, in New Zealand? If the right hon. Gentleman believes all that, he is certainly not capable of leading his party, let alone this country.
§ Mr. KinnockThere is no question of doubt that this Government caused the recession in this country. Since the Prime Minister made the statement that I quoted, nearly 1 million jobs have been lost, there have been over 100,000 repossessions and 80,000 businesses have been lost, in those two years. This Government caused the recession, they continued the recession, and now they have not got a clue how to get out of the recession.
§ The Prime MinisterWhat the right hon. Gentleman has to say—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder.
§ The Prime MinisterWhat the right hon. Gentleman has to say is economic illiteracy. If the right hon. 128 Gentleman is genuinely concerned about recovery, what does he think that higher taxes would do to it? What does he think that his jobs tax would do to it? What does he think that his investment tax would do to it? What does he think that his minimum wage would do to it? The policies which the right hon. Gentleman pursues would mean perpetual recession for this country.—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Will hon. Members please settle down?