HL Deb 04 July 1978 vol 394 cc838-9

2.51 p.m.

Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNESIDE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what, if any, are their plans on the nationalisation of parts of the food manufacturing industry.

Lord STRABOLGI

My Lords, the Government have no plans to nationalise any part of the food manufacturing industry.

Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNESIDE

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that Answer, may I ask him whether he is aware that there have been all sorts of rumours spreading about; and as, generally speaking, I always like to be fair to my own Party and to the Opposition, does the noble Lord not think that it would be a good thing if he could deal with the rumours that are circulating, as this matter is upsetting to everybody? A great many people in the food trade certainly do not want any nationalisation, and I agree with them.

Lord STRABOLGI

My Lords, I have not heard any rumours. Indeed, we have no record of any suggestion that I know of from any Government source that the Government have any plans for nationalisation of the food industry.

Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNESIDE

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord. He may not have heard them and I may not have heard them, but undoubtedly they are there.

Lord STRABOLGI

My Lords, I think one of the difficulties may be that the noble Baroness has been reading—and I am glad she has—the Labour Party's programme. If I may, I would suggest to her that if she were to read the foreword she would see the difference between a programme and a manifesto, where it is spelt out in Clause 5 of the Labour Party constitution. She might also like to read more of the programme; it might convert her to parts of it.

Lord BYERS

My Lords, from what the noble Lord has said, can we take it categorically that no plans for nationalising the food industry or any part of it will appear in the Labour Party manifesto for the next Election?

Lord STRABOLGI

My Lords, I think we shall have to wait until the Prime Minister decides the date of the next Election and until the manifesto is drawn up; but I can say that at present, although no Government can commit their successors, the Government have no plans for nationalising any part of the food industry.