Speeches, etc.

Margaret Thatcher

House of Commons PQs

Document type: Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue: House of Commons
Source: Hansard HC [968/611-18]
Editorial comments: 1515-30.
Importance ranking: Major
Word count: 2282
Themes: Conservatism, Defence (arms control), Employment, Taxation, Foreign policy (Africa), Foreign policy (Asia), Foreign policy (International organizations), Housing, Labour Party & socialism, Local government finance
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Wandsworth

Q1. Mr. Thomas Cox

asked the Prime Minister what plans she has to visit the London borough of Wandsworth.

The Prime Minister (Mrs. Margaret Thatcher)

I have no plans to do so.

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Mr. Cox

Is the Prime Minister aware that, were she to visit Wandsworth, she would see the kind of housing problems that exist throughout the United Kingdom? Is she aware, in view of the kind of speeches that she makes, of the housing problems of the homeless, the elderly and disabled, and of people living in tower-block accommodation? Is she further aware that a £10,000 mortgage means £110 a month repayment? Can she tell the House, and especially those people living in accommodation of that kind, what kind of choice she is giving them?

The Prime Minister

I am aware of all those problems, as the hon. Gentleman must have been during the lifetime of the last Government. Many of these are fundamental problems. I doubt whether many of us would build the kind of tower blocks which were built in the past. As for mortgage rates, the hon. Gentleman will know that his own Government held the record for the highest possible mortgage rates.

Mr. Mellor

Does my right hon. Friend agree that if she were to visit Wandsworth it would be appropriate to congratulate the Conservative group on Wandsworth council on being one of the only two councils in London to hold the rates steady this year, and that that example of good Conservative housekeeping—constrasted with seven previous years of Socialist financial profligacy at the town hall—provided one of many good reasons why the electors of my part of Wandsworth returned a Conservative Member for the first time in 15 years?

The Prime Minister

I do indeed congratulate the Wandsworth borough council and any other council that managed to hold rates as it did. In fact, I am always proud when Conservative councils are economical in their use of other people's money.

Mr. Jay

Will the Prime Minister note that the combined efforts of the Conservative Greater London Council and the Conservative borough of Wandsworth have now produced in that part of London the worst housing situation at any time since the war?

The Prime Minister

I find it astonishing that that could have been [column 613]done within a matter of six to seven weeks.

Mr. du Cann

While considering her future programme, will my right hon. Friend give thought to ways in which it might be possible to establish all-party discussions on the subject of remuneration of hon. Members and others? Will she be good enough to look at the constructive reply given by the now Leader of the Opposition to questions that the former right hon. Member for Fulham, Mr. Stewart, and I put to him at the end of the last Parliament on this subject? Will she say whether, as newspapers have reported, she has yet received the report of the Boyle committee?

The Prime Minister

I received the report of the Boyle committee late on Monday night. I shall, I hope, be consulting James Callaghanthe Leader of the Opposition and other people about it, and I shall try to deal with this matter as expeditiously as possible.

Tuc

Q2. Mr. Robert Hughes

asked the Prime Minister when she plans next to meet the Trades Union Congress.

The Prime Minister

I shall be seeing the economic committee of the TUC fairly soon and a date is now being arranged.

Mr. Hughes

Will the right hon. Lady discuss with the TUC the proposition put to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on Tuesday night that the results of the Budget will lead to unemployment levels of between 1¾ million and 2 million by the end of this year? The Chief Secretary did not dissent from that view. Will the right hon. Lady tell the TUC how she proposes to deal with this matter? More importantly, will she tell the House why she was so dishonest during the election campaign as to keep this quiet?

Mr. Speaker

Order. It does not help our debates or Question Time to make charges of dishonesty. There was no charge of dishonesty in this House. I merely remind the House that we can pursue our arguments without that sort of charge.

The Prime Minister

I do not make forecasts of unemployment. I have heard [column 614]too many that have turned out to be false. I remember, however, that it was the last Government who more than doubled the unemployment rate they inherited. They inherited 600,000 unemployed and finished up with 1¼ million unemployed.

Mr. Marlow

Will my right hon. Friend remind the leaders of the trade unions that, although they may be disappointed, it was the Conservative Party which won the last general election with an overwhelming majority of votes and that less than half the total of trade unionists voted for the Labour Party? Will she remind the leaders of the trade unions that it is their duty to look after the interests of their members, Labour or Conservative, rather than to strut around the national stage as second-rate Socialist politicians?

The Prime Minister

I thank my hon. Friend for his helpful question. We shall do everything possible to increase the number of genuine jobs. The Budget makes a very good start by its tax reductions.

Mr. Cryer

Will the Prime Minister comment on the fact that she is already bent on wrecking industrial relations through massive price increases? When she meets the TUC leaders to discuss the proposed trade union legislation, will she take into account genuine representations of concern about her proposals? Will she assure the House that if the trade union movement makes representations she will modify, drop or change the legislation, or are the consultations about the legislation simply cosmetic?

The Prime Minister

I point out to the hon. Gentleman, in view of his question, the record of Denis Healeythe Labour Chancellor in his first Budget in 1974 when he increased prices on the retail price index—this was given in a written answer—by 3.75 per cent. In addition, he increased income tax by 3 per cent. Nothing daunted, the following November he put up value added tax on petrol to 25 per cent. In his Budget of April 1975, he put up the retail price index by a further 2.75 per cent. together with further increases in tax. The standard rate of tax was increased by 2p. The hon. Gentleman should cast the mote out of his own eye before he starts criticising us.

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Mr. James Callaghan

Would the right hon. Lady care to tell us when she intends to stop fighting the last election?

The Prime Minister

When the right hon. Gentleman stops his troops from fighting it.

President Carter

Q3. Mr. Latham

asked the Prime Minister when she expects to meet the President of the United States of America.

The Prime Minister

I look forward to meeting the President of the United States at the Tokyo economic summit in two weeks' time.

Mr. Latham

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that the SALT treaty which the President is about to sign adequately defends the interests of the European nations, including Britain? If she shares the doubts of Senator Jackson and others, will she tell the President that he must take into account the British negotiating view as well?

The Prime Minister

We look forward to studying the full text of SALT II, which we have not yet seen. The United States has made clear that SALT II will not affect existing co-operation within the Alliance. So far as our own position is concerned, we have received assurances that there is nothing in the agreement to prevent us from ensuring the continuing effectiveness of Britain's nuclear deterrent.

Mr. J. Enoch Powell

When the Prime Minister meets the President, will she make clear to him, in the name of the people of this country, that since 1783 the internal government of the United Kingdom has been no business of the Government of the United States, any more than the internal Government of the United States is the business of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom?

The Prime Minister

I accept entirely what the right hon. Gentleman says.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

As President Carter insists, at this moment, on continuing sanctions against democracy in Zimbabwe-Rhodesia, will my right hon. Friend, since the Administration of which she is head is responsible for Rhodesia, consider inviting the President to visit [column 616]Salisbury so that he may become up to date with what has happened recently in that country?

The Prime Minister

I hope to be discussing these matters with the President at the Tokyo summit. As my hon. Friend knows, the Government's objective is to return Rhodesia to legality and to try to secure the co-operation of as many other nations as possible in that objective. As my hon. Friend also knows, Lord Harlech is visiting many of the front-line States at the moment. We expect to receive his report when he returns in just over a week's time.

PRIME MINISTER

(Engagements)

Q4. Mr. Mike Thomas

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 14 June.

The Prime Minister

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet. In addition to duties in this House, I shall have further meetings with ministerial colleagues. I shall also be meeting the Vice-President of Egypt and later the Governor of Hong Kong. This evening, I shall attend a dinner given by President Moi of Kenya.

Mr. Thomas

Will the right hon. Lady reflect during the day on the fact that, when we take into account the increases in the MLR and the increases in council rents which will result from public expenditure cuts, and the increase in mortgage payments, VAT, petrol and other prices, no one who is a taxpayer earning less than £10,000 a year will be better off as a result of her Budget?

The Prime Minister

I do not accept the hon. Gentleman's figures for one moment. The difference between the effect of tax increases on the RPI under the last Government and tax increases under this Government is that we reduced direct tax, leaving more money available in people's pockets to meet any increases, costs and charges, with some left over.

Sir Paul Bryan

When the Prime Minister meets the Governor of Hong Kong, will she assure him that Hong Kong and its people have the full-hearted support of the Government and this House in their difficult problem of dealing with [column 617]the flood of refugees from China and Vietnam which they are facing with such humanity?

The Prime Minister

I shall gladly convey that message. The Governor of Hong Kong has an extremely difficult task. Although I sent a message to the United Nations calling for an international conference to resolve these matters, things are going very slowly. It is a problem on such a scale that it can only be resolved internationally. The United Nations has certainly helped and met the costs of flying the passangers from the “Sibonga” and the “Roachbank” to Britain. That falls on the United Nations budget, but we need something much more fundamental to try to solve the problems of Hong Kong and the whole problem of Vietnam refugees who are suffering from the callousness of their present Government.

Mr. Ashley

Is the Prime Minister aware that her call to the United Nations over the refugees will be very welcome? What is required now is a lead from this Government by making an approach to every Government in the world to make a special response for refugees. Will the right hon. Lady consider making a direct unilateral approach to every Government [column 618]asking them to take in more refugees, in addition to the United Nations' initiative which she has begun?

The Prime Minister

With great respect, I think that it is best to approach this matter through the United Nations. Of course, we contacted a number of other nations when we had the problems with the “Sibonga” and the “Roachbank” , because the latter was standing off Taiwan, but an organised conference is needed to try to solve this problem.

Mr. Lawrence

Will my right hon. Friend take some time to consider whether, in view of the concentration of Mr. Nkomo 's terrorist forces in Zambia, it is any longer safe to allow Her Majesty the Queen to visit the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' conference in Lusaka and whether it might not be more appropriate to hold the conference in Nairobi?

The Prime Minister

I answered a question on this matter earlier today. Of course, the safety of Her Majesty the Queen is our paramount consideration. Nevertheless, we hope that she will be able to attend the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' conference in Lusaka. We are consulting everyone concerned and will take into account their advice and the information we have before finally advising Her Majesty.