PRIME MINISTER
Engagements
Q1. Mr. R. C. Mitchell
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 14 April.
The Prime Minister (Mrs. Margaret Thatcher)
This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.
Mr. Mitchell
Will the Prime Minister today send for the chairman of Cunard and the chairman of British Shipbuilders to explain to them that 40 per cent. of the cost of the refit of the Cunard Countess is coming from the taxpayers and that there are thousands of British shipyard workers on the dole? Will she do everything possible to make sure that they can come to some agreement that the refit of the Cunard Countess should take place in a British shipyard?
The Prime Minister
The hon. Gentleman will know that efforts were made to find a British shipyard to carry out this work in time for the ship to return to her commitments on 9 July. It was not possible to find a British shipyard that could do the work in that time. I agree with the hon. Gentleman that it is very disappointing that such a shipyard could not be found. It was vital that the ship was back on duty on 9 July. It is disappointing that those shipyards that did so magnificently during the Falklands war were not able to match that performance in peace time.
Mr. Foot
Does not the right hon. Lady appreciate that her answer will only add to the sense of outrage throughout the country? Does she really mean that the Government are to stand back and let this work go ahead in the Maltese shipyards? If the Government are so unwilling or unable to do anything about it, will she at least cease the hypocrisy of exhorting other people to buy British?
The Prime Minister
The weakness of the right hon. Gentleman's case is that British shipyards were not able to undertake to carry out the repairs in time and were unwilling to take the risk of incurring the penalty if they were unsuccessful in carrying out the work in time. Unemployment will, of course, be incurred unless that ship returns to carry out her duties in time.
Mr. Foot
Has the right hon. Lady inquired into the conditions that were applied? Has she inquired into the stiff penalty clause that was imposed? Does she think that it was right that that should be imposed? Did that have Government support, and does she not appreciate that because so much taxpayers' money is involved in this, if the Government said that the money would be withheld if the work was not done in British shipyards it could be done here?
The Prime Minister
The ship has to be back in the Caribbean on 9 July. If she is not, the cruises cannot continue and enormous penalties will be incurred. It does not seem to me to be unreasonable for Cunard to say “A ship must be back in the condition in which she was chartered by a certain date. We shall first try to see whether British shipyards can meet our date.” Cunard first offered the work to British shipyards. I understand that no [column 935]British shipyard could meet that date. I understand from what I saw on television last night that the chairman could not risk the penalty. Apparently other shipyards were able to meet the deadline. I understand why the right hon. Gentleman is disappointed that the work will not be carried out in British shipyards—so am I—but we must be prepared to do that work on time.
Mr. Mitchell
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the Prime Minister's unsatisfactory reply I give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest possible moment.
Q2. Mr. Neubert
asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 14 April.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Neubert
In connection with next business—the Finance Bill—will my right hon. Friend reflect on the fact that under the Labour Government tax thresholds fell by 5 per cent. for a married man and 20 per cent. for a single person, whereas under this Government thresholds have risen by more than prices? On the anniversary of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, would not the Opposition do better to remember his maxim, “Don't make the rich poorer, make the poor richer” ?
The Prime Minister
I agree with my hon. Friend's quotation and I agree also that under the Labour Government tax thresholds fell whereas under this Government they have increased by 5 per cent. more than inflation, so there has been a real improvement. In addition, in the first four years of this Government, net take-home pay has risen by an average of 4 per cent., whereas in the first four years of the Labour Government it fell by 8 per cent.
Q3. Mr. Geraint Howells
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 14 April.
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Howells
Will the Prime Minister find time today to appear on Welsh television and explain to the people of Wales why unemployment in west Wales has risen to 20 per cent. due to her policies?
The Prime Minister
Unemployment has risen in this country, in Europe and throughout the Western world, partly due to world recession, partly due to lack of efficiency, partly due to lack of suitable products and, in this country, partly due to insufficient competitiveness. The answer lies in better price competitiveness and better products. There is no other answer.
Q4. Mr. Timothy Smith
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 14 April.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Smith
Will my right hon. Friend confirm that in the first three and a half years of this Government the number of local authority houses passing into private ownership has been about half as high again as the total in the whole of the previous 25 years? Will she also confirm that the policy of selling council houses will be pursued with undiminished vigour?
[column 936]The Prime Minister
Under this Government about 500,000 tenants of council houses have purchased their properties. When one adds to that the further 500,000 new home owners in the private sector, one realises that under this Government home ownership has risen by 1 million dwellings. That shows the extent of our commitment to increasing home ownership and increasing opportunities for all to own their own homes.
Q5. Mr. Parry
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 14 April.
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Parry
To end speculation, will the Prime Minister announce that she intends to seek a fresh mandate from the electorate this summer? Will she fight the election not on jingoism and chauvinism but on the mass unemployment caused by the Government and on their cynical attempt to recruit unemployed youth to the armed forces? The Prime Minister and the Government have been wallowing in the blood of those killed and wounded in the Falklands. That is obscene and should be stopped.
The Prime Minister
When the election comes, which will be some time within the next 15 months, we shall fight it on the Tory record and Tory policies and I believe that we shall win. With regard to the statement to be made later enabling some young people under training to enter the armed forces, I believe that there will be great demand for the limited number of places available. It will be entirely voluntary, but I believe that many young people will wish to take advantage of the opportunity and play a part in defending their country.
Q6. Mr. Marlow
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 14 April.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Marlow
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the tragic problems of the Middle East will never be solved until the Palestinian people are offered true self-determination? Does she further agree that there is no way in which they and other Arab groupings can move towards recognition of Israel while Israeli settlers are daily taking land on the West Bank and the Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon continues?
The Prime Minister
I agree that the failure to open peace negotiations is discouraging, but there are obstacles on both sides. One is the presence of foreign troops in the Lebanon. The other is the policy of increasing Israeli settlements on the West Bank, which we believe is illegal. We stand by our policy of self-determination for the Palestinian people and the right of Israel to defend herself behind secure borders. There must be movement on both sides if negotiations are to take place.
Q7. Mr. Dubs
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 14 April.
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Dubs
Will the Prime Minister spend some time today considering the well-deserved international praise that the film “Gandhi” has received? Will she also make a personal plea to Sir Richard Attenborough not to go to [column 937]South Africa and give that regime his blessing by presiding over the ceremonies in connection with that film before segregated audiences?
The Prime Minister
I warmly congratulate Sir Richard Attenborough and all those who took part in the making of that film on their splendid achievement, which is good for the British industry, especially following the excellent achievement last year in connection with the film “Chariots of Fire” . On the second part of the hon. Gentleman's question, the decision is a matter for Sir Richard Attenborough and he must be entirely free to make it on his own grounds.
Immingham
Q8. Mr. Brotherton
asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Immingham.
The Prime Minister
I have at present no plans to do so.
Mr. Brotherton
Does my right hon. Friend realise that her reply will be a matter for great regret in the port of Immingham? In the course of her busy day, will she find time to consider making Immingham one of our free ports? Is she aware that Immingham has road, rail and all forms of communication and would, without any shadow of doubt, be the best free port in the country?
The Prime Minister
I know that many bids have followed the decision of my right hon. and learned Friend Sir Geoffrey Howethe Chancellor to have a number of free ports in this country. I believe that this will help a number of areas to attract manufacturing industry. I cannot make specific promises about any area, but I shall certainly pass on my hon. Friend's plea to the Chancellor.
Engagements
Q9. Mr. Greenway
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 14 April.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Greenway
Has my right hon. Friend heard the various estimates of the cost of implementing the recently published Labour policy proposals, at between £15 billion and £40 billion or 12p on the basic rate of income tax and 5 million unemployed? [Interruption.] The Opposition [column 938]may well get excited. They have something to answer for. What does my right hon. Friend think would be the cost of their ridiculous, stupid and unwelcome proposals?
The Prime Minister
We have done such calculations as we can. We understand that the one-off cost of the plans would be about £20 billion and the annual cost between £30 billion and £40 billion. The whole thing would be totally disastrous, but they will never have the chance to implement it.
Mr. English
If the Duke of Westminster wins his case before the European Court of Human Rights, objecting to being told by law that he must sell freeholds to sitting tenants at less than the market value, will the Government arrange for local authorities to be treated similarly?
The Prime Minister
Before we go any further on that case, we had better wait and see what the Commission and the court say.
Q10. Mr. Skinner
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 14 April.
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Skinner
How does the Prime Minister reconcile the Fortress Falklands policy of spending large sums of money in the Falkland Islands with propping up the Argentine economy by allowing and encouraging British banks to send large sums of money to Argentina so that it can buy more arms such as Exocets and frigates from Common Market countries? Argentina will therefore be able to turn round to British bankers and refuse to pay the £900 million that it owes in repayments for 1982. Is it not the case that the Prime Minister has been taken for a ride by the Argentines?
The Prime Minister
If a country such as Argentina were to default while having a balance of payments, it would have more money with which to buy armaments than it would if it were forced to pay its debts. It is, therefore, much better to pursue a policy that forces Argentina to pay its debts than to release money for extra armaments. Moreover, if we had acted in any other way, Argentina might have defaulted to many third countries. That could have had a considerable impact on the entire Western banking system. It was not an easy decision to take, but, in the end it was the best one for Britain.