§ 1. Mr. John MarshallTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he had on deregulation during his recent visit to the far east. [32603]
§ The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr. Michael Heseltine)During my discussions with senior leaders in the far east, I emphasised the positive contribution of privatisation and deregulation to the competitiveness of the UK economy.
§ Mr. MarshallDoes my right hon. Friend agree that it is no mere coincidence that job opportunities have grown much more rapidly in the deregulated labour markets of the far east and north America than in continental Europe? Did he give the leaders of the economies of the far east an assurance that the Government would never adopt the job destruction measures that are inherent in the social chapter and the minimum wage?
§ The Deputy Prime MinisterI was able to go a little further than that because I was able to make it clear that 2 job creation is proceeding faster in Britain than in the rest of the European Union. One of the reasons for that is the combination of deregulation and privatisation.
§ Mr. Derek FosterSince returning from the far east, what discussions has the Deputy Prime Minister held about deregulation and food safety? Does he have complete confidence in the Minister of Agriculture? Does the right hon. Gentleman agree with a junior Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food that: the Minister of Agriculture will be in his job for many months to come, or does he think that the Minister is a clapped-out old milker?
§ The Deputy Prime MinisterI can give the right hon. Gentleman a wholly positive answer to those questions because, unlike the shadow Cabinet, the members of the Government are on extremely good terms.
§ Dame Elaine Kellett-BowmanDoes my right hon. Friend accept that I enormously appreciate the tremendous efforts that he has made to hack through the jungle of regulation? However, I received a communiqué from my chamber of commerce in Lancaster this morning which says that there is still too much regulation at local level. Regulations are being embroidered that should not be embroidered. Can he do something to prevent that leakage?
§ The Deputy Prime MinisterMy hon. Friend raises one of the most important aspects of deregulation. A great deal of the concern about regulation relates to its implementation, and the varied practices of implementation, at local level. That is why she will share my pleasure that we have introduced an appeals system to give local businesses the possibility of redress in such cases.