Prime Minister
Engagements
Q1. Mr. Lofthouse
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.
The Prime Minister (Mrs. Margaret Thatcher)
This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
Mr. Lofthouse
Is the Prime Minister aware that the recent report from the Energy Select Committee agreed with the chief nuclear inspector that there was serious understaffing in the inspectorate, and that that was likely to cause a nuclear accident at Sellafield? Does the right hon. Lady agree that that understaffing is tantamount to putting people's lives at risk?
The Prime Minister
I am aware that there was understaffing in the Nuclear Inspectorate. I am aware that that was because some of the salaries offered were not sufficient, bearing in mind the alternative jobs available to those people. That matter has been dealt with and increased salaries offered to attract the full complement of staff that we want and need.
Q2. Mr. John Mark Taylor
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Taylor
Will my right hon. Friend take time during the course of her busy day to note the recent reduction in gas prices? Will my right hon. Friend comment on whether that reduction is a result of privatisation? Does she agree that it is certainly extremely good news for old-age pensioners?
The Prime Minister
Yes. Domestic gas prices have already gone down by 8 per cent. in real terms since 1983. The recent further reduction is very welcome. It is good news for everyone, especially for pensioners, and it owes a good deal to our privatisation policy.
Mr. Kinnock
In view of the strong hostility towards the poll tax from members of the Prime Minister's party in the House, and from diehard supporters outside the House—[Interruption.]. In view of that strong hostility, is the right hon. Lady for turning?
The Prime Minister
We considered this matter very carefully. The present system is unfair and discredited, and I believe that the right hon. Gentleman agrees with that. I noted from his own manifesto that he was going to abolish the Rates Act, and I noticed that he intended to replace it with capital valuation and to continue revaluations. We believe that the proposals we have put up have been very widely considered and are the best possible for the way forward.
Mrs. Ann Winterton
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the principle of the community charge is absolutely right, but, before it is introduced, should not the total cost of education be transferred to central Government?
The Prime Minister
No. I see no possibility of transferring the entire cost of a service to the taxpayer and leaving its total administration to the local authorities. There is no way in which the Department of Education [column 189]and Science could take over the whole administration of education, and nor should it. To take it away from the local authority under those circumstances would be to reduce its expenditure temporarily. Very soon many councils would put up that expenditure and we would all be left paying far more taxes and far more local charges.
Mr. Steel
Can the Prime Minister confirm what the Secretary of State for the Environment said on the radio this morning about the poll tax, which is that it will cost twice as much to collect as the rates? Does that calculation include the cost of paying back the tax to those on supplementary benefit?
The Prime Minister
I happened to hear Nicholas Ridleymy right hon. Friend on the radio this morning—I do not always have it on—and he explained that that was because it would be collected from a considerably larger number of people. If one of the problems is that the base of the rates is too small, inevitably, in the interests of wider equity, the base of the community charge will be wider and it will be payable by more people.
Mr. Onslow
In her continuing discussions with other European Heads of Government about the cost of the Community budget, will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that there are a great many European taxpayers who are just as disenchanted with the ridiculous costs of the common agricultural policy as the taxpayers in this country and that they see her Government's fight for fundamental CAP reform as being as much in Europe's interest as in Britain's?
The Prime Minister
It is in Europe's interests as well as our own. It is also in the interests of Europe's consumers, because the original CAP was meant to strike a fair balance between the rights of producers and the rights of consumers. It would also release considerable resources which, if they were made available, could go to creating more jobs in the Community. Therefore, it is in the interests of the whole of Europe as well as ourselves.
Mr. Rees
If the poll tax is so marvellous for Scotland, England and Wales, why not introduce it in Northern Ireland?
The Prime Minister
As the right hon. Gentleman has occasion to be well aware, local government in Northern Ireland is not able to get back to a normal basis, and he knows the reason why.
Q3. Mr. Atkinson
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Atkinson
Will my right hon. Friend confirm that, contrary to the misleading impression given by the Opposition, the proposed community charge will not affect the right to vote and that it is a policy upon which every Conservative candidate fought the general election?
The Prime Minister
Yes. It has always been made clear that there will be a separate register for the community charge and it will not affect the right to vote in any way. I believe that the way forward that we have proposed is the best one. It will give greater local accountability and, in the matter of the business rate, it will help many northern cities a great deal.
Mr. Harry Ewing
When the Prime Minister sees Sid, will she tell him that she and her Government spent £40 [column 190]million of taxpayers' money last year telling the people about the politically motivated sale of British Gas and that last night she introduced legislation forbidding all local authorities in Britain from spending ratepayers' money to give their people any information at all? What is she, a democrat, or a dictator?
The Prime Minister
The sale of British Gas was a good thing for all the people of this country, both in terms of the receipt of capital sums that came into the Exchequer and in terms of the future efficiency of British Gas. I believe that it was money well spent.
4. Mr. Amess
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Amess
Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is a widespread concern throughout the country about the number of late abortions that are being carried out? Does she recognise that, with advances in medical science, the stage at which a child is capable of being born alive is being reduced all the time? When will the House give effective protection to the unborn child?
The Prime Minister
I fully understand my hon. Friend's concern about this matter. He will be aware that administratively we have done all we can to see that abortions are not carried out after 24 weeks. We have circulated a report from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to all hospitals and we have made it a condition for the licensing of private clinics that abortions are not carried out after 24 weeks. Therefore, we have done everything we can. I do not see the possibility of Government legislation at the moment, but private Members' legislation is appropriate for that.
Mr. McCusker
Will the Prime Minister find a few minutes today to reflect upon the reasons that she gave for signing the Anglo-Irish Agreement, which are that she believed that it would bring peace, stability and reconciliation to the Province? In view of the fact that the situation has deteriorated to the level where someone is being killed almost every other day in Northern Ireland, what evidence has she to show that after 20 months any progress is being made towards those desirable objectives?
The Prime Minister
We are getting increased co-operation across the border, as the hon. Gentleman is aware. I had hoped, when I saw the hon. Gentleman rising, that he would mention that some of his right hon. and hon. Friends might wish to come and talk in the light of a recent report that has been published. I am sorry that my hopes were not upheld. If he wishes to come and talk, he will be very welcome.
Q5. Mr. Butterfill
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Butterfill
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the only effective way to achieve urban regeneration in our inner cities is to have a much greater involvement of private industry and capital? In that connection, does she agree that the remarks made yesterday in the House by the hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr. Grant) were most unhelpful and regrettable?[column 191]
The Prime Minister
I agree with my hon. Friend that while we can do a good deal with regard to housing, education, clearing derelict land and many other things in inner cities, we cannot succeed in achieving our aim unless we get more private enterprise into the areas, unless the local authorities and people welcome private enterprise, and the people are motivated to do more for themselves. That is a constructive way forward. I agree with my hon. Friend that anything inflammatory is destructive of that objective.
Q6. Mr. Boyes
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Boyes
Is the Prime Minister concerned, as many of us are, about the growing level of child abuse, as shown in data produced by the National Children's Home and from many local authorities? If so, what steps is she taking to ensure that local authorities are adequately staffed, funded and equipped to deal with this tragic, if regrettably over-publicised, subject?
The Prime Minister
I do not believe that there is necessarily a need for more staffing or more money to deal with this matter. I believe much more that sensitive use must be made of the available powers.
Mr. Robert G. Hughes
Is my right hon. Friend aware of the immense dissatisfaction in the country with the services provided by British Telecom? When does she expect her policies on competition to be extended into that area so that good telephone services can be provided in the home, and other companies can provide telephone boxes that actually work?
The Prime Minister
OFTEL's 1986 survey found that British Telecom's quality of service had been at least constant and perhaps improving over the past few years. British Telecom recognises that there is some way to go and its high investment, running at more than 35 per cent. above pre-privatisation levels, will improve the service further. There is some competition from Mercury, but the service that we get now is a great deal better than that which we received before and I believe that it is British Telecom's intention to continue to improve it.
Q7. Mr. Redmond
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Redmond
During her busy day, will the Prime Minister agree to veto any proposals to place VAT on children's clothing and shoes?
[column 192]The Prime Minister
Is the hon. Gentleman asking that if the EEC comes in with a proposal to change our capacities—[Interruption.] If he is asking about those particular things, I repeat exactly what I have said——
Mr. Cryer
Veto.
The Prime Minister
Veto is a European Community word.
I will repeat precisely what I said during the election campaign. We shall continue to have zero rating on food, and that is crucial. The question then arises about electricity, gas and fuel. It is not our intention to put VAT on those. If anyone tried to put VAT on children's clothes and shoes, they would never, never get it through the House. I repeat that.
Q8. Mr. Yeo
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Yeo
Will my right hon. Friend join me in condemning the decision taken by certain teachers to take further strike action? Does she agree that that decision brings more shame on the teaching profession and its only certain consequence will be to damage the interests and education of the children in the schools affected?
The Prime Minister
I totally agree. The teachers have had a very fair, indeed generous, deal from the taxpayer in pay increases. They know that the present arrangements are only temporary. We are trying to achieve permanent negotiating arrangements as soon as possible. I agree with my hon. Friend that children have rights as well—a right to a good education and the right to have teachers who set an example to them.
Q10. Mr. McCrindle
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. McCrindle
Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that the financial controls operated by the Civil Aviation Authority over tour operators remain adequate to minimise the risk of their financial failure? As this matter is of such interest to millions of people at this time of year, will my right hon. Friend consider having a word with the CAA's chairman to reassure herself and the House that the controls remain adequate for the purposes for which they were installed?
The Prime Minister
As far as I am aware, they are. I know that my hon. Friend is concerned about recent events. I shall therefore consult my right hon. Friend Paul Channonthe Secretary of State for Transport with a view to meeting my hon. Friend's request.