§ Q4. Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 13 December.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Lady to the reply I gave a few moments ago.
§ Mrs. MichieCan the Prime Minister explain how an assembly for Northern Ireland will strengthen the United Kingdom while a Scottish parliament will apparently weaken it? The situations may be different, but surely the principle is the same.
§ The Prime MinisterAs the hon. Lady graciously admits, the situation is not just different—it is wholly different. A tax-raising assembly is proposed for Scotland, whereas in Northern Ireland an assembly is proposed which will give Northern Ireland proper control over local government matters. That power already exists in Scotland.
§ Q5. Mr. HaselhurstTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 13 December.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. HaselhurstAmid all the discussions about the European Union in the long term, does my right hon. Friend agree that there is a practical and urgent agenda to try to ensure that the single market is working fairly 770 and openly, so that British companies have a genuine opportunity to compete successfully in civil aviation, energy and other spheres in which there are currently impediments to competition?
§ The Prime MinisterMy hon. Friend is entirely right about that and about its importance. At Essen during the weekend it was self-evident that that is an agenda on which Britain is increasingly winning the arguments. There is wide recognition of the fact that the liberalisation of aviation, energy, telecommunications and a range of other areas is vital to Europe's future competitiveness. A great deal of work needs to be done to ensure that. It must figure very prominently in the Community's agenda in future, and we will ensure that it does.
§ Mrs. AdamsIs the Prime Minister aware of the havoc wrought in the west of Scotland at the weekend by severe flooding in which lives were lost? Is he further aware that the Scottish Office Minister who visited the Paisley area yesterday gave us little comfort? Will the Prime Minister visit the stricken areas and make a statement that adequate funding will be available to reimburse families and local authorities?
§ The Prime MinisterI know that the whole House will wish to join me in expressing regret at the loss of life and the very significant damage following the severe flooding in Strathclyde. As the hon. Lady may or may not know, my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland with responsibility for industry and local government was able to make a statement about the flooding to the Scottish Grand Committee this morning. He said that grant aid from central Government might be available under the Bellwin scheme.
§ Q6. Mr. GallieTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 13 December.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. GallieHas my right hon. Friend seen the "Scottish Engineering Quarterly Review" issued this week, which shows that orders are up, investment is up, recruitment is up and optimism is strong? Is he further aware that today Jetstream Aircraft at Prestwick announced yet another order? Is that not good news in the run-up to Christmas?
§ The Prime MinisterI must confess that I have not seen the journal to which my hon. Friend refers, but I will ensure that it is delivered to me regularly in future. I am pleased to hear my hon. Friend's good news and delighted to hear about Jetstream. A further order will be another welcome endorsement of the success of Scottish manufacturing.
§ Q7. Mr. McCartneyTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 13 December.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. McCartneyThe Prime Minister will know that the blood transfusion service is a unique service in the United Kingdom national health service. Last year, the 771 British people gave 2.5 million units of blood freely and saved thousands of lives. Does he appreciate the dismay and disgust at the Bain proposals to privatise the service and close down five regional centres, from Plymouth to Lancaster, with 1,000 job losses? When will the Prime Minister put the national health service before private greed and abandon that proposal?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Gentleman knows that the NHS is getting more resources and more funding year after year. He also knows that there are areas which can be dealt with in the private sector without harm to patient care and that where that releases resources for patient care it is economically and medically sensible.
§ Mr. YeoDoes my right hon. Friend agree that the results of the past four general elections show that the good sense of the British people can normally be relied on? Against that background, does he further agree that, if the 1996 intergovernmental conference produced substantial changes in the European Union the use of a referendum might be justified, but that in the intervening period speculation about the type of question to be asked is entirely bogus?
§ The Prime MinisterIn advance of the IGC, it is extremely difficult to know precisely what the question in a referendum might be. I have said that I am not 772 prepared to close the door on the possibility of one, but, equally, that there are important constitutional matters to be considered and it would be very unwise to make snap judgments as to how to deal with that matter. As I understand it, two days after I stated that last week, it suddenly became the Opposition's position as well.
§ Q8. Mrs. Helen JacksonTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 13 December.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave some moments ago.
§ Mrs. JacksonAccording to official figures given to me by the Child Support Agency last week, that body has processed just four claims for compensation in the past 12 months. Will the Prime Minister ensure urgently that the thousands of families who have suffered from the incredible incompetence of that body are fully compensated for their financial and emotional losses?
§ The Prime MinisterAs the hon. Lady knows, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security is looking at the child support arrangements. He will be responding to the Select Committee's report and will make an announcement as soon as the Government have finished their deliberations. Proposals for any changes will be brought forward at that time.