§ 3.9 p.m.
§ Lord Harris of High CrossMy 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 whether they will reconsider the admittedly inadequate compensation paid by their predecessors under the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977, in view of the cases being brought against Britain in the European Commission of Human Rights.
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, it remains the view of the Government that the 1977 compensation terms should not be altered retrospectively. The Government will be submitting their observations on the applications mentioned by the noble Lord to the commission.
§ Lord Harris of High CrossMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Cullen of Ashbourne, for that Answer, but I would like to ask him quite directly whether he might give a pledge that there will be no further requests by the Government for adjournments of the hearings before the European Commission? I want to ask him in particular and most ernestly whether he will bear in mind the trouble into which the Government got themselves over the closed shop issue where, as in this case, they took up an issue coming over from the Labour Administration and after many adjournments and five years' delay it was found to be in breach of the Convention and the Government were required to make retrospective amendment in the form of compensation in this new Employment Bill before the other House?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, I am afraid I cannot satisfy the noble Lord by saying that we will not make further applications for more time before making our replies. The Conservative Government were never in favour of the Act the noble Lord is discussing, or the compensation terms, but have decided that there is no way in which they can retrospectively fairly change those terms.
§ Lord MonsonMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that nowadays even in the majority of Eastern European countries, Warsaw Pact countries, Governments no longer confiscate their citizens' property? Will he perhaps concede that if this Government acquiesce in the Bennite compensation terms for the warship shipbuilders the Government will effectively be giving the green light to a future Government of the extreme Left to nationalise every business in Britain, large and small, virtually without compensation?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneWell, my Lords, I think perhaps in all quarters of the House it will be realised that it is not always easy, and very often it is impossible, for any Government to repair the damage of a previous Administration.
§ Lord Taylor of GryfeMy Lords, will the Minister accept that it might be wise to re-examine not the amount but the basis on which compensation was calculated, considering the fact that the basis of calculation, particularly in the shipbuilding industry, was totally inadequate for an assessment covering the compensation for the whole industry?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, I am sure the noble Lord realises that there are nine applications by shipbuilding companies to the commission, and they will be examining the whole basis.
§ Lord Harris of High CrossMy Lords, may I try to help the noble Lord in a rather tight spot? May I ask this: In view of the harsh words the noble Lord himself uttered at the time of nationalisation, in which he said the compensation terms were having a disastrous effect upon confidence, would he personally urge his colleagues that the course of honour might be to present these terms to the European Commission without defence and allow the proceedings to go forward, I hope to the stage known as a "friendly settlement"?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, I think the best I can do is to say that I will pass on those wise words of the noble Lord to my right honourable friend.