Speeches, etc.

Margaret Thatcher

House of Commons PQs

Document type: Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue: House of Commons
Source: Hansard HC [58/191-96]
Editorial comments: 1515-1530.
Importance ranking: Major
Word count: 2522
Themes: Autobiography (marriage & children), Executive, Defence (Falklands), Employment, Industry, Privatized & state industries, Taxation, Trade, European Union (general), Foreign policy (Africa), Foreign policy (Americas excluding USA), Foreign policy (USA), Foreign policy (USSR & successor states), Health policy, Law & order, Local government, Race, immigration, nationality, Society, Sport, Trade unions, Strikes & other union action, Women
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PRIME MINISTER

Engagements

Q1. Mr. Montgomery

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 April.

The Prime Minister (Mrs. Margaret Thatcher)

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others and met the Amir of Bahrain on his arrival for a state visit. On my return I sent to the Civil Commissioner in Port Stanley a message expressing the Government's deepest sympathy at the tragic loss of life and injury sustained in the fire at Port Stanley hospital earlier today. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to attend a state banquet for the Amir of Bahrain at Windsor castle.

Mr. Montgomery

Is my right hon. Friend aware that she will have widespread support for her robust support for the police in their difficult task of ensuring that people who want to go to their place of work can do so unmolested?

The Prime Minister

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. I believe that the police have overwhelming support in the [column 192]country and among those miners who have been able to go to their place of work because of the careful attitude of the police in this matter.

Mr. Lofthouse

Is the Prime Minister aware that, within 12 months, it is possible that all miners over 50 years of age will have lost their jobs? Have the Government any plans to encourage alternative industry in those mining areas, or does she intend that those young miners should never work again?

The Prime Minister

In so far as the mines are in special development areas or areas in which there is special development assistance, that assistance will apply. In so far as other grants for the start of small businesses or enterprise allowances are available, they also will apply. Might I point out that when miners over 55 have to retire the terms for them are, I believe, more generous than have been provided by any previous Government.

Mr. Kinnock

The Prime Minister told Sir Robin Day last night that she wanted a go-getter society. As we now have more than 1 million 18 to 24-year-olds unemployed in Britain, can she tell them where they can go and what they can get?

The Prime Minister

If the right hon. Gentleman had listened a bit more carefully he might have learnt a little more. I said that we need an enterprising society—no Government can succeed without the men and women of enterprise.

Mr. Kinnock

Governments cannot provide the men and women of initiative, but they can prevent the men and women of initiative. As 23 per cent. of 18 to 24-year-olds are without jobs, will she tell us what she will do to enable them to use their initiative, vitality, intelligence and talents? What will she do instead of give the smug sermons that have now entirely taken the place of economic policy?

The Prime Minister

If the right hon. Gentleman puts the two parts of his questions together, he will see that the Government have encouraged the men of enterprise by reducing many of the controls and by levying much less direct taxation on enterprise. Indeed, if we had the Labour tax regime, we would now be paying £3.5 billion more in income tax. As far as the young people are concerned, we have provided the best training scheme ever, and that, together with the enterprise and training schemes, is producing the results which the right hon. Gentleman refuses to recognise, but which are there.

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Yeo.

Mr. Nellist

Could the right hon. Lady live on £25 a week? How much is that banquet tonight costing?

Mr. Speaker

Order. I must say to the hon. Gentleman that if he does that again he will have to leave.

Mr. Yeo

Does my right hon. Friend agree that, if individual civil servants are to be free to decide in respect of which actions and information they obey the Official Secrets Act, and in respect of which matters they flout that Act, the business of Government would rapidly become completely unworkable.

The Prime Minister

I agree with my hon. Friend. No Government can carry on except with the total trust of the Civil Service, and I believe that we have that total trust except in very rare individual cases.

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Mr. Steel

Is the Prime Minister making any representation today to the United States Government about their dangerous activity in mining the ports of Nicaragua?

The Prime Minister

We have previously made it very clear to the United States Government that we are against mining the ports in Nicaragua because, of course, it is very dangerous to international traffic on the high seas.

Q2. Mr. Leighton

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 April.

The Prime Minister

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

Mr. Leighton

In the interests of the safety of British seafarers, would the Prime Minister consider co-operating with the French in removing the mines laid in Nicaraguan waters?

The Prime Minister

We have not the resources out there to do so.

Mr. Key

Will my right hon. Friend, in expressing the sympathy of all of us for those who were killed in the fire in the Falkland Islands hospital, recall that she visited that hospital herself and saw the conditions there? Will she further recall that, more than a year ago, a report was made condemning the fire safety procedures in that hospital and that British troops were moved out of it some weeks ago because of fire hazard? Will she do all that she can to encourage the Falkland Islands Government to replace that hospital as soon as possible, in the interests of the civilian population, especially the old people who were in it?

The Prime Minister

A new hospital is planned. I am afraid that, of necessity, it will take some time to build. We shall do all that we can to speed up the building and, in the meantime, to provide other alternative facilities.

National Economic Development Council

Q3. Mr. Renton

asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on the future of the National Economic Development Council.

The Prime Minister

I regret that the TUC has chosen to forgo the benefits to its membership of participation in the council. We have no intention, however, of taking hasty decisions, especially since the work of the economic development committees has not been affected.

Mr. Renton

Would my right hon. Friend care to remind the TUC of Clem Attlee's maxim, “Never walk out because you will only have to walk back” ? While the TUC is sulking in its tent, will she and the Chancellor consider how the work of NEDC can be improved and made more useful, for example by studying which are the services and industries in which Britain must be competitive in the 1990s, and how to achieve this?

The Prime Minister

I very much endorse the views of my hon. Friend. As he knows, the TUC walked out at the very time when a review of the industries of the 1990s was being undertaken for the purposes that my hon. Friend deduces—a review which the TUC had enthusiastically endorsed. I hope that it will soon come back to take part in it.

Mr. Tony Banks

Modesto Collados, the new Minister of Industry in Chile, said last week that Chile can live——

[column 194]

Mr. Speaker

Order. I think that the hon. Gentleman may have the wrong question. The question is concerned with NEDC.

Engagements

Q4. Mr. Hoyle

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 April.

The Prime Minister

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

Mr. Hoyle

I understand that on television last night the Prime Minister said that she answers for what she does. In view of that remark, will she answers for when her public and private interests may have overlapped by telling the House when she learnt of her son's interest in Cementation, how much he received as a fee for that, and what he was doing in the Gulf at the time of her state visit to Oman?

The Prime Minister

I have nothing further to add to the reply that I gave last Thursday.

Mr. Best

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is very sad that Miss Zola Budd should have to seek citizenship of another country in order to exercise her talents, and that she and her Government should be congratulated on striking a blow for freedom in sport by enabling that young lady to have at least an opportunity to demonstrating her abilities at the Olympic games?

The Prime Minister

Whether or not Miss Zola Budd has that opportunity is a matter not for me but for those who select the Olympic runners. As my hon. Friend knows, my right hon. and learned Friend Leon Brittanthe Home Secretary acted very quickly in her case to give her an opportunity, should others so decide.

Q5. Mr. Gould

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 April.

The Prime Minister

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

Mr. Gould

Under the regime established by the Prime Minister in these matters, why are Ministers not subject to the same strict rules as apply to civil servants in respect of conflicts of interest involving members of their families?

The Prime Minister

I have already answered questions on this matter—[Interruption.] I do not think that the rules differ from what they have always been.

Mr. Soames

Is my right hon. Friend yet in a position to tell the House something of the nature of the reply that the Government have recently made to the proposals put forward by the Government of the Argentine?

The Prime Minister

A reply has been sent. Initially we sent a message to the Argentine. It replied to us. We have now replied to its message, but for the time being that reply is confidential.

Q6. Mr. Latham

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 10 April.

The Prime Minister

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

Mr. Latham

Can my right hon. Friend prescribe any early cure for the sad political laryngitis that continues to prevent the Opposition Front Bench from condemning the loutish militant picketing—[Interruption.]

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Mr. Speaker

Order. We dealt with that matter last week. The Prime Minister cannot answer for the Opposition.

Mrs. Clare Short

Will the Prime Minister give an undertaking to the unemployed that she will not allow any cuts in the public employment service that diminish the chances of the unemployed being offered a job, training or even a place on a scheme for the unemployed?

The Prime Minister

I am not quite sure what the hon. Lady is getting at. If she is talking about jobcentres, I should point out that the number of jobcentre outlets was increased in the recent statement.

Q7. Mr. Dobson

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 April.

The Prime Minister

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

Mr. Dobson

Does the Prime Minister recall being a sponsor of the private funding of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson hospital, which included in its promotional literature the statement that the hospital would provide for the treatment of women by women? If so, why does she not force the DHSS to honour that pledge?

The Prime Minister

I think that the hon. Gentleman is referring to when it is necessary to have male consultants on duty. I believe that the position has been fully explained to the hon. Gentleman by my right hon. and learned Friend Kenneth Clarkethe Minister for Health. It is necessary to have that arrangement to keep the main purpose of the hospital going.

Mr. Couchman

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in their desperation to save the GLC members of the Labour [column 196]party are presently organising a petition and are so enthusiastic about it that they are even signing up 11-year-old children, such as my daughter?

The Prime Minister

We have made our policy on the GLC very clear, and the paving Bill will be introduced very shortly.

Q8. Mr. Alton

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 April.

The Prime Minister

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

Mr. Alton

What plans do the Government have for the revitalisation of areas that will be devastated by the closure of coal mines?

The Prime Minister

Coal miners in special development areas are eligible for the many grants available. Where help is needed, small business or enterprise allowance are available. We have no plans at the moment to increase the number of enterprise zones.

Mr. Teddy Taylor

As my right hon. Friend has shown great sympathy for the people of Afghanistan, who have been persecuted by the Soviets, does she agree that it is outrageous that the Common Market should have increased its exports of cheap, subsidised food to Russia by 600 per cent. since 1979? Is there really nothing that we can do about that outrageous financing of the Russian defence budget?

The Prime Minister

As my hon. Friend is aware, these matters are decided by a majority vote and therefore we are not able to affect the outcome. My hon. Friend is also aware that we have voted against such goods being heavily subsidised.