PRIME MINISTER
Engagements
Q1. Mr. Curry
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.
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. Curry
In the light of widespread public concern about the expansion of private credit, so eloquently endorsed by the Labour party, does my right hon. Friend consider that the case for credit controls is severely undermined by the fact that that party intends to launch a membership drive backed by credit cards?
The Prime Minister
I agree that those who are concerned about too much credit should not add to it, but should fully support Nigel Lawsonthe Chancellor's policy of getting inflation down through interest rates.
Mr. Kinnock
Will the Prime Minister agree with me that hospices in Britain meet a vital health care and humanitarian need? If so, will she now respond to the appeal by the Royal College of Nursing and the charity Help the Hospices and provide full funding for the pay increases of nurses who work in hospices, thereby ensuring that any possible bed closures are prevented?
The Prime Minister
The practice is that the health authorities make a grant for the contractual obligations that they have with the hospices to supply nurses to them. A sum of money was given to the hospices for that purpose. The Government also made it clear that they would wish it to be sufficient for authorities to supply on [column 1174]a non-contractual basis, which some of them do. My right hon. and learned Friend Kenneth Clarkethe Secretary of State for Health discussed this matter with the hospices this morning.
Mr. Kinnock
Does the Prime Minister not recall the very specific promise made by the Secretary of State for Health at the Conservative party conference that
“£4.5 million more”
would be paid to the hospices
“to pay the increases of nurses who work in hospices” .
Does she know that the hospices have now been told by her Ministers, as recently as this morning, that the most that they can get is not £4.5 million but £1.3 million?
A very small amount of money is needed in Health Service terms to meet a very great need and to provide comfort and care. Will the Prime Minister immediately see to it that the Government keep their promises?
The Prime Minister
I have indicated what the arrangements are. I have indicated that my right hon. and learned Friend Kenneth Clarkethe Secretary of State for Health today discussed this with representatives of the hospice managers' forum of the Royal College of Nursing. He emphasised the Government's commitment to the voluntary hospice movement. Information on local funding arrangements is being collected urgently and my right hon. and learned Friend will consider the need for further action once this has been received and analysed. All that was told to them this morning—not only what the right hon. Gentleman said.
Mr. Kinnock
What is not in doubt is that the Government promised £4.5 million, and what is not in doubt either is that the Government are now saying that the sum is limited to £1.3 million. Will the Prime Minister tell the voluntary movement how it can meet the need, exercise choice and be independent when it has no money with which to do it?
The Prime Minister
Once again, the right hon. Gentleman did not listen to what I said. He had worked out his supplementaries, irrespective of my answers. [Interruption.] It is quite a good idea to get the facts right first. That is why information on local funding arrangements is already being urgently collected. My right hon. and learned Friend Kenneth Clarkethe Secretary of State will consider the need for further action once the information has been received and analysed.
Mrs. Peacock
Will my right hon. Friend take time in her busy day to consider the document on Transpennine that I have sent to her? This is an initiative by a group of business men and bankers who have come together to promote the north of England, not only to the rest of the country but to Europe and the rest of the world. Will she join me in congratulating them on their intiative?
The Prime Minister
Yes, most certainly, I congratulate many of them on the enterprise they are showing and the way in which they are providing jobs, reducing unemployment and building up prosperity for the future.
Mr. Ashdown
When the Prime Minister appointed Lord Chalfont to the post of deputy chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Authority, was she aware that he is the director of a private intelligence company with extremely grubby connections in the past and whose—[Interruption.]
[column 1175]Mr. Speaker
Order. The right hon. Gentleman must take responsibility for the questions that he asks.
Mr. Ashdown
Is the Prime Minister aware that its published aims are to provide intelligence services——
Mr. Churchill
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker
Order. I will take the point of order when the right hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Ashdown) completes his question.
Mr. Ashdown
Was the Prime Minister aware that Lord Chalfont is currently the director of a private intelligence organisation whose publicly stated aims are to provide private intelligence services for the Government? Has she no idea of the conflict of interests involved?
The Prime Minister
Lord ChalfontI am happy with the appointment I made. The right hon. Gentleman must be the first leader of his party to pursue a vendetta in that way.
Mr. Churchill
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker
Mr. Speaker
Order. It takes time but I shall take it.
Mr. Churchill
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker—[Interruption]
Mr. Speaker
Order. It will take time out of Question Time.
Mr. Churchill
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Is it in order for the right hon. Member to smear a right hon. Member of another place in this way?
Mr. Speaker
Order. I was listening carefully to the right hon. Gentleman and nothing disorderly took place.
Mr. Stanbrook
Has my right hon. Friend had an opportunity to see the three Green Papers issued by the Lord Chancellor's Department yesterday? Does she agree with me that, contrary to the impression given by some, including a former Lord Chancellor who ought to know better, the Bar has no need of restrictive practices in order to maintain its high standards? Does she also agree that members of the Bar welcome the opportunity to help recast the legal profession to give the public an even better service in the future?
The Prime Minister
Yes, I agree with my hon. Friend that those three Green Papers tackle the problems in a bold and courageous way and provide solutions. I hope that they will be widely discussed and will maintain the high standards of legal service that we are entitled to expect.
Q2. Mr. Hoyle
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Hoyle
Is the Prime Minister aware of the widespread feeling in this country and the House about torture in Turkey, and about the deep disappointment felt that she did not discuss that matter with either the President or the Prime Minister of Turkey last year? Did she discuss torture and human rights with the Turkish Defence Minister yesterday? If she did, what was the result?
[column 1176]The Prime Minister
The answer is yes. We did discuss the matter, and the Turkish Defence Minister assured me once again that the Government are taking all possible steps to see that there are no abuses in that country.
Sir Hal Miller
Will my right hon. Friend join me in welcoming the indication that a leading Japanese motor manufacturer, Toyota, is considering investing in Europe rather than exporting to Europe? Can she tell us what steps we are taking to ensure that the investment comes to this country rather than to other member states?
The Prime Minister
Yes, we believe that we are the lead country of Toyota's choice for them to invest in. They will be very welcome in this country. They are interested in a number of different areas. We shall work closely with them and shall of course consider any application for selective assistance under our legislation.
Q3. Mr. Janner
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Janner
On another matter affecting Japan, does the Prime Minister recall that, of the 50,000 British prisoners-of-war of the Japanese who were tortured and starved, 12,433 died in captivity? Does she recall that thousands of other Commonwealth service men suffered in the same way, including over 2,800 Australians who died as a result of war crimes while working on the railways? In those circumstances, how could it happen that Her Majesty's Government would advise the Duke of Edinburgh to pay a royal visit to Japan in the circumstances he has in mind? Will she please reconsider this grotesque and offensive suggestion?
The Prime Minister
Nothing can obliterate what happened then or the memories and feelings of the people who suffered or of their relatives. There is no difference between us on that. Japan is now a democracy and is a very different country. Many people here have jobs provided by Japanese investment. We are both economic summit countries and there have been state visits. We have made the proper recommendations, which I believe are right, with an eye to the future.
Mr. Devlin
On the occasion of Australia Day, will the Prime Minister take this opportunity to communicate to the Australian Prime Minister this country's commitment not only to the future of an unrestricted European market but to the ideal of free trade throughout the world?
The Prime Minister
Yes, I will gladly do so. We have to work hard to see that there is no element of protectionism in Europe after 1992. That is very much in keeping with everything we believe and that will be the message I shall try to give the Australian Prime Minister. It is the message which my right hon. and hon. Friends and I are constantly giving the European Community. We look forward to welcoming the Australian Prime Minister to this country later this year.
Q4. Mr. Meale
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
[column 1177]Mr. Meale
Bearing in mind the Prime Minister's support for the football ID scheme, and bearing in mind also the hooliganism that we saw at Henley regatta last year and on a whole variety of sporting occasions, has she any intention of trying to widen the scope of the scheme?
The Prime Minister
The hon. Gentleman is aware that it is a membership card scheme because football has developed a history of attracting hooliganism both on the pitch and outside the stadium over the years and there have been several reports upon it to both Conservative and Labour Governments.
We believe that those clubs that have membership schemes have largely eliminated hooliganism from the match, thus enabling families to watch the game. Those who are anxious to reduce hooliganism and to separate it from the game of football and to get football back as a game to which families can go should support the national membership card scheme.
Q5. Mr. Leigh
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.
[column 1178]The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Leigh
Bearing in mind the enormous losses suffered in the second world war by Bomber Command, which was based substantially in my right hon. Friend's home county of Lincolnshire and which resulted, unbelievably in losses of air crew in greater numbers than all the officers killed on the western front in the first world war, surely it is never too late to recall our second lost generation, to reconsider our decision not to grant a medal for Bomber Command and at least to say “We shall remember them” .
The Prime Minister
There will be no difficulty about remembering all of those in Bomber Command and in other commands who gave their lives or suffered during the war. I know that these matters are very carefully considered in the Ministry of Defence, and I am sure that they were carefully considered before a decision was reached. The chances of the matter being reopened are not very good, but of course I shall pass on to my right hon. Friend George Youngerthe Secretary of State for Defence what my hon. Friend has said.