§ 12. Mr. Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan)When he last met the Confederation of British Industry, the Scottish Trades Union Congress and Scottish Enterprise to discuss developments in the Scottish economy. [41261]
§ The Minister for Education and Industry, Scottish Office (Mr. Brian Wilson)My right hon. Friend last met the CBI Scotland on 30 January, the STUC at its annual congress, on 20 April, and the chairman of Scottish Enterprise on 15 April.
§ Mr. SalmondWhy did the Minister find himself quoted in the BBC as attacking the Scottish National party for criticising Locate in Scotland about the inward investment setbacks in Scotland over the past few weeks? Can he produce any statement made by the SNP criticising Locate in Scotland? If not, was he misquoted on the BBC, or was he only running at the mouth? Does he understand that it is not Locate in Scotland that we do not think is up to the job, but the Industry Minister?
§ Mr. WilsonWhenever the people of Scotland might be deluded into thinking that the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond) is filling the role of statesman, he falls back into his normal behaviour. If he thinks that name calling is a substitute for policy, he has a personal problem, with which he will have to deal. Instead of asking me such questions, he should speak to the hon. Member for North Tayside (Mr. Swinney), who is sitting next to him, who will tell him that, on the night of the Lite-On announcement, he called on television for a review of inward investment policy—end of story. However, if the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan would like the video, I am sure I can help him.
§ Mr. Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh, North and Leith)May I welcome the fact that we have the first Government 724 ever in the history of the United Kingdom to consider child care as an essential part not only of economic policy but of equal opportunities and children's policy? Will not today's first-ever national child care strategy lead both to more jobs in child care and to opportunities for parents to enter the wider labour market?
§ Mr. WilsonI not only endorse my hon. Friend's comments but pay tribute to the considerable part that he personally played in the origination of that strategy. He is absolutely right that, if people are to be liberated to work, and especially if women are to be liberated to fulfil their potential in education and in the jobs market, it is essential that child care is available. Child care must be integrated with the needs of the individual and be properly resourced, and the Government are doing all of that. Ultimately, the people of Scotland are interested in child care, education, health and housing. It is those great issues on which they vote—not on the juvenile nonsense that we heard a few moments ago from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan.
§ Mr. Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh and Berwickshire)Does the Minister acknowledge the contribution made to the Scottish economy by the textile sector? When he next meets the STUC, the CBI and Scottish Enterprise, will he undertake to raise with them the issue of creating a strategy for future stabilisation of the textile industry? Will he include in those talks representatives from some of the bigger companies, such as Dawson International? Will he meet those representatives to try to stabilise our current manufacturing capacity, and to help some of the communities built around the textile industry to diversify for the future?
§ Mr. WilsonI fully endorse those comments, as there are difficulties in the textile industry. I should like first to apologise directly to the hon. Gentleman for having to cancel a return visit to the borders, which has been rescheduled for early June. However, as I said, I endorse all his comments and realise the very specific problems that the borders area is currently experiencing. I also agree that we must together take action to try to deal with those problems. There are various employment problems both in the hon. Gentleman's constituency and in other border areas, and together we will have to take action to build better prospects.
§ Mr. Desmond Browne (Kilmarnock and Loudoun)My hon. Friend will be aware that, last week, the last shoe manufacturer in Scotland, Clansman Shoes of Kilmarnock, announced short-time working for its 128 skilled workers. The principal reason for the announcement was that the firm's main customer, Hush Puppy (UK) has sought to source its shoes from India. The announcement was made against a background of increasing uncertainty about manufacturing jobs in my constituency. Given the Minister's prompt and effective intervention when 380 jobs were lost, when British Aerospace stopped aeroplane manufacturing in Prestwick, will he consider a similar initiative for my constituency?
§ Mr. WilsonThe task force approach has worked well in Prestwick, as it has in Haddington in response to the major job losses, which we discussed. In the short term, I should be delighted to meet my hon. Friend and the 725 local authority. I recognise that there are concerns in some of the traditional industries in Kilmarnock and east Ayrshire, and we shall certainly consider whether there is more that we can do. Let us take it one step at a time; have a meeting to discuss the problems; and see where we go from there.