PRIME MINISTER
Engagements
Q1. Mr. Allen McKay
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
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. McKay
From personal experience, what advice would the Prime Minister give to neighbours who do not get on too well?
The Prime Minister
I am not experienced in such matters.
Mr. Atkinson
Does my right hon. Friend share the concern of a great many hon. Members that the principal member of her Government, the Lord Chancellor, is today being held to account by his Church for fulfilling his public duties? Does she agree that that is hardly the mark of a Church which would call itself Christian or tolerant?
The Prime Minister
I have very great sympathy with my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Mackaythe Lord Chancellor.
Mr. Kinnock
Will the Prime Minister tell us this month's excuse for the appalling trade figures?
The Prime Minister
As the right hon. Gentleman is aware, part of the reason for the trade figures is the higher investment that I understand he seeks.
Mr. Budgen
Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is some confusion on the Conservative Benches about the Government's economic policy? Will she state whether the recent increase in interest rates was to hold up the value of the pound or to restrict private credit and the money supply?
The Prime Minister
As my hon. Friend is aware, the recent increase in interest rates is to get the rate of inflation down. I am sure that my hon. Friend will find no confusion on economic policy. Nigel LawsonThe Chancellor and I find none. The only confusion that we find has arisen from the interview given on the BBC today by the right hon. Gentleman Neil Kinnockthe Leader of the Opposition, when he called for import controls and for us to stop treating the pound as if it were a sacred relic. That is against the Common Market, against GATT, against the pound and against common sense.
Q2. Mr. Fraser
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
[column 1117]The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Fraser
Does the Prime Minister acknowledge that since the last general election the rate of inflation has doubled, the trade deficit has quadrupled and mortgage rates are going through the roof? If those are signs that the Prime Minister is doing well, what will happen if she does badly?
The Prime Minister
As the hon. Gentleman is aware, to us the rate of inflation is unacceptably high, but to the Labour party it was unsustainably low. It is better than it could sustain for more than a few months. Our performance has given the highest standard of living ever known, the highest number of jobs and a rate of inflation infinitely below the 26 per cent. rate of the Labour party.
Q3. Sir Julian Ridsdale
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Sir Julian Ridsdale
In view of the turmoil in China can my right hon. Friend give some assurances to the people of Hong Kong as, in the present situation, there must be considerable anxiety among them?
The Prime Minister
I share my hon. Friend's view and I believe that there must be very great concern in Hong Kong about events in China. My hon. Friend will recall the joint declaration we negotiated with China to guarantee that freedoms and the capital, economic policy, which Hong Kong enjoys, should continue for 50 years after 1997. I believe that it is very much in China's long-term interests to make that agreement work and to see Hong Kong remain stable and prosperous. I believe that that will be the case and we shall do everything possible to see that it is.
Q4. Mr. Livingstone
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Livingstone
Has the Prime Minister been briefed on the contents of the book “Who framed Colin Wallace?” ? Is she aware that it contains specific details and evidence of acts of treason by the security services and that it contains specific records, on the record, from former members of the armed forces and the Civil Service confirming those acts? What advice would she give to Members of the House who wish to pursue such allegations, when her own Ministers continue to be evasive whenever those issues are raised?
The Prime Minister
No, Sir, I am not aware of the particular allegations in the book referred to by the hon. Gentleman. I dealt fully with allegations of that kind in my statement to the House on 6 May 1987 and I have nothing further to add to that statement.
Q5. Mr. Robert B. Jones
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
[column 1118]Mr. Jones
Will my right hon. Friend find time today to plan a visit to Lisburn and North Down where she would find that a huge number of people who see the path away from sectarian politics as being Conservative party participation in elections there?
The Prime Minister
I have been to Lisburn and I had a very warm welcome from all of the people there and I greatly enjoyed my visit. I shall not be able to get there very quickly, but I understand the point that my hon. Friend has made.
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
Will the Prime Minister please explain to the House how we can have a record deficit on the import of manufactures and, at the same time, barely reach the 1979 level of investment in the manufacturing industry? Will she explain to the House what has happened to the supply side miracle in the economy?
The Prime Minister
The supply side miracle has given us the highest standard of living the country has ever known, the highest standard of business investment ever known and now, as I am sure the hon. Gentleman will be very glad to welcome, the highest level of investment in manufacturing industry in real terms.
Q6. Mr. Goodlad
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Goodlad
Will my right hon. Friend find time today to congratulate the police in Wolverhampton on their prompt and effective action in apprehending, earlier in the week, those who were dealing in crack? Will she reassure the House that she will give every support to those involved in making sure that that evil trade, which has brought so much misery and degradation to other parts of the world, is never allowed to take root here?
The Prime Minister
I believe that the police were entirely right to take firm action against drug dealers and that crack peddlers must know that they have no safe haven. I believe that the disturbances that followed the enforcement of the law at Heath Town on Tuesday night were absolutely disgraceful. I also believe that the police should be warmly commended on the action they took and on the way in which they restored order, quickly and effectively. I believe that, in doing so, they have the support of the overwhelming majority of the people of our country.
Q7. Mr. Madden
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Madden
Does the Prime Minister believe that the threatened expulsion of diplomats and journalists threatens the improving good relations between Britain and the Soviet Union, which are most welcome to the overwhelming majority of people of both countries?
The Prime Minister
I hope that the hon. Member is not suggesting that we should refrain from taking action against people who are carrying out unacceptable activities in this country. We found those people in both the Soviet and the Czech embassies and we had to take action against them. The action had to be taken regardless [column 1119]of the effect upon our relations. The worst thing of all would have been to say that because we have better relations we can ignore all those unacceptable activities.
Mr. Michael Brown
Will my right hon. Friend confirm that she has never suspended an interview on “The World at One” because she objected to the line of questioning?
The Prime Minister
I confirm that. I was absolutely appalled at what happened today. Clearly, Neil Kinnockthe right hon. Gentleman could never take his place at this Dispatch Box because he would object to the line of questioning.
Mr. Kinnock
Try me.
Q14. Mr. Morgan
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Morgan
Can the Prime Minister confirm that the economic problem of this country is no longer that we are suffering from overheating but that the radiator has now blown up into tiny fragments all over her?
The Prime Minister
No, Mr. Speaker, but I note that official Labour policy would make things infinitely worse by wanting lower interest rates, lower exchange rates, higher public spending and, according to the shadow Chancellor, a less deflationary emphasis, all of which would lead to the sort of inflation we had when Labour was in power.
Mr. Knapman
Will my right hon. Friend confirm that she has never been a member of CND but has consistently advocated multilateral disarmament? Does my right hon. Friend believe that this consistency is absolutely vital if one is to be taken seriously as a political leader?
The Prime Minister
I confirm that I have never been a member of the CND. I believe in sure and strong defence of liberty. We know from experience that conventional weapons are not enough to prevent war, because of the two world wars that we have had. We must continue to have the nuclear weapon if we are to have peace in Europe.
Q15. Mr. Skinner
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Skinner
We have been listening with interest in the course of the past two or three months to the Prime Minister's references to the ozone layer and green issues generally. Can she tell us whether she expects that hole in the ozone layer to be patched up by the use of market forces? Has she got in mind a man, a ladder, a bike and an enterprise allowance?
[column 1120]The Prime Minister
I would have thought that the hon. Gentleman—I believe a grammar school boy—would have had the understanding to know that it is the success and profits of the private sector that have been sufficient to finance the excellent research of the Antarctic Survey and to provide even more money for the survey to discover the hole in the ozone layer, which formed the basis of the action which has been taken on it, and that also it is the success of the market sector which is very rapidly producing ozone-friendly products to stop the threat to the ozone layer.
Mrs. Maureen Hicks
Can I say to my right hon. Friend how much the people of Heath Town will welcome her reassurance this afternoon? I will personally deliver her message to the police tomorrow. Can I have her assurance that she will advise that those who are found guilty of the terrible offence of handling crack be dealt with severely?
The Prime Minister
I agree with my hon. Friend. Crack is a very great danger and we shall do everything possible to stop it coming into this country. I hope that the courts will take notice of what my hon. Friend has said. I believe that people want that offence dealt with by severe sentences.
Mr. Ashdown
Is the Prime Minister prepared to repeat today the Chancellor's Budget prediction of 5½ per cent. inflation by the end of the year?
The Prime Minister
I am not going any further than my right hon. Friend Nigel Lawsonthe Chancellor of the Exchequer, whose handling of the economy has given everyone the highest standard of living and the highest standard of social services that they have ever known—[Interruption.] There is so much row from the Opposition because they cannot bear the facts to be told.
Q16. Mr. Rhodes James
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
The Prime Minister
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
Mr. Rhodes James
Does my right hon. Friend recall the speech that she made at Perth when she expressed strong support for the threatened Glasgow university veterinary school? Is she aware that we in Cambridge have always strongly supported Glasgow veterinary school, as it has supported us? Can I assume that my right hon. Friend's support for Glasgow extends to Cambridge?
The Prime Minister
I am very supportive of veterinary schools, which have a high standard of excellence. Glasgow, in addition, does a great deal of highly relevant research, and attracts much research from the private sector. I fully support my right hon. and learned Friend Malcolm Rifkindthe Secretary of State for Scotland in his attempt to save it, which I believe will be successful.