§ Ql. Mr. David ShawTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 16 March.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. John Major)This morning, I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
§ Mr. ShawDoes my right hon. Friend agree that the evidence of Labour councillors personally benefiting from fraud, corruption, nepotism and inefficiency is such that people should be informed about it before they vote in the local government elections?
§ The Prime MinisterI have no doubt that there are many cases of waste, inefficiency and malpractice in Labour councils; increasingly, one has seen that in auditors' reports. It is right that the auditors should investigate and make those matters public.
§ Mr. BlairWill the Prime Minister confirm, as a matter of fact, that in a few weeks' time two new tax rises will be introduced—the cutting of mortgage tax relief and of the married couples allowance—which will add about £250 a year to the average family's tax bill?
§ The Prime MinisterI will certainly confirm the tax changes to which the right hon. Gentleman refers. I will also confirm for him that, as a result of the measures taken by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, we are now well into the most sustained recovery on the most secure basis that this country has seen for many years, with the economy growing at almost 4 per cent., exports at record levels, the current account in surplus, investment rising and unemployment now having fallen by 600,000—a set of economic circumstances that 1022 we have not seen for many years. That is largely due to the fact that my right hon. and learned Friend took the right decisions at the right time.
§ Mr. BlairAre not those tax rises, on top of the existing ones, one reason why people feel so angry about this Government? Is not the truth that, with taxes up, mortgages up and living standards falling, all that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has done is confirm what the vast majority of the British people already knew: that unless you are one of the favoured few at the top, you are worse off under the Tories.
§ The Prime MinisterWhich taxes would the right hon. Gentleman cut? Which pieces of expenditure has the right hon. Gentleman opposed? How many times has the right hon. Gentleman and his hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown) sought extra expenditure of one sort of another? When is he going to understand the most basic economic fact—that he cannot promote expenditure and call for tax reductions and expect to be taken seriously? We have taken the measures necessary for this country's economy. That is why our economy is more effective, more efficient and more competitive than any other economy in western Europe.
§ Mr. BlairI will tell him what I understand, that—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] Since he asked me the question again, let me tell him what is wrong. What is wrong is to fight the election promising to cut taxes then raise them by 7p in the pound.
§ The Prime MinisterIf the right hon. Gentleman is so concerned about what is right for this country, why does he not for once acknowledge the changes that there have been in this economy? Why does he not for once acknowledge what once he used to say—that his plans for a minimum wage would cost jobs? Why does he not acknowledge what a large number of business men are now telling him across Europe—that his plans for the social chapter would cost jobs? Why does he not acknowledge that this country now has an economy that Labour could never have achieved if it had followed the advice of the shadow Chancellor, who on every conceivable occasion has guessed wrongly about what should happen with this economy?
§ Q2. Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 16 March.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. GreenwayWill my right hon. Friend congratulate those parents who have set up an organisation called PASS to defend the right of parents to send their children to grant-maintained schools? Will he arrange for an application form to be sent to the Leader of the Opposition?
§ The Prime MinisterI fancy that the right hon. Gentleman does not need one, but his hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) who speaks on education from the Labour Front Bench most certainly does, for he would still destroy the chances for parents to send their children to grant-maintained schools, 1023 even though the vast majority of hon. Members in this House, including the right hon. Gentleman, know that that choice should be available to every parent.
§ Mr. AshdownIn view of the Prime Minister's comments on waste and inefficiency, how does he justify an increase over the past four years of 36 per cent. in the amount of public money spent on Government entertainment? What would he have to say to a council which was forced to sack teachers and which responded by raising by more than a third the money that it spent on its own entertainment?
§ The Prime MinisterI think what I would say to any council which was contemplating that sort of action concerning teachers would be: how many administrators in education is it looking at, why are there two administrators for every three teachers in education and why do county councils like the right hon. Gentleman's seek to look at teachers before they look at other areas of savings?
§ Mr. FaberHas my right hon. Friend had an opportunity in the past couple of days to discuss Anglo-Belgian relationships with his counterpart the Prime Minister of Belgium, and in particular what must have been a disappointing visit for him to west London on Tuesday night? At what is undoubtedly a difficult time for British football, would my right hon. Friend join me in congratulating Chelsea football club on a stunning victory on Tuesday night, its fans on the good-natured manner in which the game was watched, and the Metropolitan police especially on the firm but sensitive way in which the game was policed?
§ Madam SpeakerI should just inform the hon. Gentleman before the Prime Minister attempts to answer that question that, nice as it may seem, the Prime Minister has nothing whatsoever to do with the success of Chelsea football club.
§ The Prime MinisterI am happy to pass credit for the success to the players. May I simply say that I am delighted at how well they did?
§ Q3. Mr. MullinTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 16 March.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. MullinDid the Prime Minister read this morning's comment by Lord McAlpine that a spell in opposition would be a good thing for the Tory party, and does he agree that this is one of the rare occasions on which the interests of the Tory party and of the nation coincide?
§ The Prime MinisterI did see the comments in the New Statesman and Society. I understand that Lord McAlpine is promoting his book, which is a work of fiction.
§ Q4. Mr. AmessTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 16 March.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. AmessDoes my right hon. Friend share the pleasure of my constituents in Basildon at the first visit 1024 to this country of a President from the Philippines, Fidel Ramos? Will he tell the House whether any trade agreements have been reached as a result of the visit? Finally, will my right hon. Friend do all in his power to assist and encourage the President to try to alleviate the plight of street children and to take forward the social reform programme?
§ The Prime MinisterOf course, I am delighted to welcome President Ramos to the United Kingdom. He will find a very warm welcome here and would clearly find one in Basildon also, were he able to visit it. I am not sure whether the President is here long enough to do so on this occasion, but when I meet him later on this afternoon I will be happy to pass on the invitation. I understand that it has been a successful trade visit and a number of contracts have been signed with substantial British companies.
I know that President Ramos is achieving a great deal with his social reform programme and I know that the whole House would welcome all that can be done to help street children, both in the Philippines and elsewhere.