PRIME MINISTER
(ENGAGEMENTS)
Q1. Mr. Ashley
asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th March.
Q5. Mr. Rost
asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th March.
Q8. Mr. Wyn Roberts
asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th March.
Q9. Mr. Viggers
asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th March.
The Prime Minister
In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be holding meetings with ministerial colleagues and others.
Mr. Ashley
If my right hon. Friend discusses phase 3 with any of his ministerial colleagues, employers or trade unionists will he emphasise that, although there may be a need for some flexibility, if better-paid workers begin leapfrogging one over the other they may damage the interests of lower-paid workers and possibly destroy the social contract?
[column 249]The Prime Minister
I completely agree with my hon. Friend about this. It is part of the Government's economic policy for this year to seek, if at all possible, to get agreement with the trade unions on another phase of wage policy. As my hon. Friend says, that could be destroyed if there were leapfrogging of the sort that he has outlined. With regard to differentials, it has always been the Government's policy to recognise that the rigidities of phases 1 and 2 cannot be extended into phase 3, but that there must be more flexibility, so that differentials can be recognised.
Mr. Rost
Now that the Prime Minister has abandoned Socialism as his price for a Liberal coalition, will he today explain to his beleagured candidate who is besieged in the Stechford by-election and those of his few Labour supporters who are still there why, if they wish to support Socialism, they should vote for the Labour candidate?
The Prime Minister
When I read the Question I somehow thought that the hon. Gentleman was not really asking about my engagements for 29th March. The hon. Gentleman has had the opportunity of making his point. I shall not boast about the result of Stechford. I shall leave him to do that and we shall see on Friday morning.
Mr. Wyn Roberts
Can the Prime Minister take some time off to study the contradictory statements made by Ministers and Members of the Liberal Party about the recently concluded pact? Will he confirm that he is still leading a Government dedicated to the pursuit of Socialism and that he has not abandoned a single legislative commitment?
The Prime Minister
I do not think that it is of particular concern to the Conservative Party what arrangements are made between other parties in the House. I would not regard it—[Interruption.] When the hon. Member for Hastings (Mr. Warren) joins the Labour Party, if he ever does, I shall be glad to account for myself to him. Meanwhile, despite this eagerness on the part of the Conservative Party, I do not propose to assume ministerial responsibility for these inter-party arrangements. I am afraid that the curiosity of Conservative Members will have to remain unassuaged. [column 250]The Government's programme will continue to be carried through as we get a majority in this House for it.
Mr. Viggers
Could the Prime Minister find time in his busy day to sit quietly and contemplate who is responsible for continuing in office a Chancellor of the Exchequer who has seen the retail price index rise, on a three-month basis, from 8.4 per cent. to 21.6 per cent.? Is this inflation not destroying all the plans and hopes of those who have tried to do their best for their retirement?
The Prime Minister
The degree of inflation in this country has undermined many things. That is why the Government are resolutely determined to reduce it, and are succeeding—without much help from the Opposition. It is our view, which I have expressed in the House many times, that if we resolutely pursue the policies that we have embarked upon inflation will start to turn down in the second half of this year and will go down faster in the first half of the following year.
Mr. Jim Marshall
Is my right hon. Friend aware this morning in Standing Committee A, which was considering the Coal Industry Bill, the hon. Member for Derbyshire, South East (Mr. Rost) advocated a policy that the price of gas should be—[Hon. Members: “Order.” ]
Mr. Speaker
Order. I think that hon. Members are mixing up a Select Committee and a Standing Committee, but I would also remind the hon. Gentleman that the giving of information is not the purpose of this period—[Laughter.]—except—let me put myself right—by the Front Bench.
Mr. Marshall
I hope that in the course of one of his engagements today my right hon. Friend will send a message to our candidate at Stetchford, informing him that the Tory Party is advocating price increases in excess of the 10 per cent. proposed by the Government and that that has not been repudiated by Tory Front Bench spokesmen.
The Prime Minister
I am aware that the Conservative Party's policy would be to increase prices substantially, and I hope that that message is well understood in the country. That is why my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, [column 251]Fisheries and Food has not accepted the Conservative Party's proposals in Brussels. He has not accepted the view put forward by the Conservative Front Bench on this matter, which would have had the effect of raising food prices. He has steadily resisted both their proposals and those of the other countries.
Mrs. Thatcher
Is James Callaghanthe Prime Minister aware that when it comes to rising prices we could not begin to rival his record and that of Denis Healeythe Chancellor of the Exchequer in increasing them? Is he aware that when we left office their maximum was 13.2 per cent. per annum, a record that he has not begun to rival during the whole time that he has been in office?
The Prime Minister
I know that the right hon. Lady's intentions are of the best, but I was wondering why the Conservative Front Bench spokesmen on food and agriculture should have put forward a proposition that would have the effect of raising food prices in this country by 1¼ per cent., by their proposed devaluation of the green pound, without anything in exchange for it.
Mr. James Lamond
How can my right hon. Friend expect any congratulations from the right hon. Lady the Leader of the Opposition on the valiant battle that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is putting up in Europe when that is only one more bit of bad news for her in a very bad week?
The Prime Minister
I hope that my hon. Friend is not intimating that he has had any sight of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor's Budget, because that would be extremely serious. As regards the other news of this week, it is certainly true that what my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is doing in Brussels is to show that a determined fight on behalf of the British housewife will bring results.
CONCORDE
Q2. Mr. Dykes
asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to fly in Concorde.
The Prime Minister
I have at present no plans to do so.
[column 252]Mr. Dykes
Nevertheless, does the Prime Minister now feel more optimistic about the possibility of New York landing rights being granted? In that context, will he undertake from now on to press the case as hard as France has pressed it? Secondly, if success is achieved, will he undertake to take the inaugural flight into New York?
The Prime Minister
It is proposed to submit more evidence on noise levels to the Port of New York Authority. The French authorities and our own are considering when this information should be submitted. There is a lawsuit in the background, about the date of which no final decision has been taken. We are continuing to work in close co-operation with the French on this matter. President Giscard d' Estaing and I had an exchange of views about the matter bilaterally in Rome last Friday.
Mr. Terry Walker
Will my right hon. Friend make a renewed request to the Americans for a quick decision on the entry of Concorde into New York? The jobs of aircraft workers in my constituency are threatened, and all this is taking place when the new Aerospace Corporation is coming into being. A speedy decision is long overdue.
The Prime Minister
The American authorities are aware of our anxieties about the matter. If Mr. Cyrus Vance comes to London later this week, as I understand he will, I or my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary will make it our business to acquaint him of our views about the urgency of the matter. We have a battle to fight here in relation to noise and we must proceed by offering more evidence to the Port of New York Authority in the first place.
TUC
Q3. Mr. Ioan Evans
asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Corbett) on 3rd February.
Mr. Evans
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the improving economic [column 253]situation in this country, despite the world recession, has been brought about by the co-operation that this Government have had from the trade union movement? Will he seek to ensure the continuation of that co-operation by meeting the trade union leaders soon after the Budget and considering the positive proposals that they are putting forward in their economic review to deal with the question of unemployment?
The Prime Minister
Yes, Sir. I certainly undertake to do that, because there is no doubt that the TUC's co-operation in these matters is vital. We also need the co-operation of the CBI on prices and other matters. A Bill concerning this will be brought forward very shortly. I think that it is fair to say that the Government have carried this country through the deepest world recession, from which the world is now beginning to emerge, with less hardship and less poverty than has ever before been known in the history of these islands.
Mr. Tim Renton
To what extent will the Liberal Party be involved in the Government's talks with the unions over phase 3 of the incomes policy?
The Prime Minister
If you care to arrange a period of Question Time for the Liberal Party, Mr. Speaker, I am sure that its Leader will be very happy to answer.
Mr. Skinner
Can my right hon. Friend confirm that every Government Department and every Minister has been told to try to take seriously the Liberals, especially the Bunny Girl manager?
The Prime Minister
Like many of my hon. Friends, I was very happy to have Liberal support in the Lobbies last week. It has preserved the Government in office and will enable us to continue to carry out our policies.
Mr. Tebbit
Has the Prime Minister been able to tell the TUC why it is that, to use the right hon. Gentleman's expression, in the Government's carrying Britain through the world recession the standard of living has fallen consistently in Britain whilst it has not so fallen in other Western European developed countries? This is a matter which is [column 254]of interest to all of us, but especially to the TUC.
The Prime Minister
As always, the hon. Member has put his finger on a very important point. What is at stake is the level of Britain's industrial performance—whether there is sufficient productivity, whether investment is high enough, whether our managers are sufficiently good and whether our trade union practices are not too restrictive. These are the important issues and upon these—and in a major sense only upon these—our standard of living over the next decade will depend.
Mr. Ron Thomas
When my right hon. Friend next meets the TUC will he discuss with it the latest TUC economic report, which clearly points out that only by direct intervention in our economic affairs in a Socialist fashion can we deal with the intolerable level of unemployment that is facing this country today?
The Prime Minister
The Government never have any hesitation in intervening, because the free market economy is not capable of providing unaided the total level of life that is satisfactory, or the appropriate level of unemployment that is acceptable. This is being accepted increasingly throughout Europe today, and we shall intervene whenever it is necessary to do so in order to maintain the standard of living of our people.
Mr. Ridley
On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Just before you joined the Chair the Prime Minister said that he would hope to assist in making a period of time available for questioning Members of the Liberal Party. Despite the fact that the Liberal Party has just appointed more Shadow Ministers than it has actual hon. Members in this House, it would be for the convenience of the House if we could question them. Would it be possible—I am sure that all parties would be in favour, particularly the Liberals, who would like a Question Time of their own—to make these arrangements after Easter? Could you facilitate this and through your good offices help to set it up?
Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. Oscar Murton
That is not a matter for the Chair.