HC Deb 12 June 1995 vol 261 cc496-8
29. Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to what extent his Government responsibilities include overseeing and co-ordinating the presentation of Government policy. [26061]

Mr. David Hunt

I chair the relevant Cabinet Committee.

Mr. Mackinlay

Is it true that the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has sent minutes to the Prime Minister and sought to counsel him about the political and electoral consequences of the enormous rate of negative equity, especially in the south-east of England? In making those representations, has the Chancellor also drawn to the Prime Minister's attention the human cost of the anxiety suffered by millions of people enduring negative equity and the consequences for enterprise because people cannot borrow to start new businesses? What do the Government intend to do about the problems of negative equity to lift the burden from the people who suffer it?

Mr. Hunt

As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary said earlier, the Government are responsible for a sustained period of non-inflationary growth and a background in economic statistics that we have not seen for many generations. Of course, we are aware of the difficulties faced by some individuals. My right hon.

Friends have announced a series of measures designed to counteract that. The Government's sound policies take precedence over presentation. After last weekend, it is clear that, for Labour, presentation comes first.

Dr. Spink

Will my right hon. Friend confirm that, in presenting Government policies, the Government seek to promote Britain in the best light and to promote pride in being British, rather than to sell Britain down the river as that lot over there on the Opposition Benches would, with minimum wages and the social chapter, which would destroy jobs?

Mr. Hunt

In the words of the deputy leader of the Labour party, any silly fool should know that that would be the consequence of the Labour party's policies, which my hon. Friend has just set out. Apparently, the Labour party last weekend decided to say anything about nothing and nothing about anything. The party without a leader is becoming the leader without a party.

Mr. McNamara

On a point of order, Madam Speaker. In his reply to the hon. Member for Lancaster (Dame E. Kellett-Bowman), the Parliamentary Secretary may have inadvertently misled the House when he said that in-house applications for tenders for services that were about to be privatised would normally be accepted. In fact, in many cases they are not even allowed to tender. In the case of the civil service pension scheme, which is of major importance, it appears that the President of the Board of Trade is not allowing any in-house tenders.