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Mr. Newton: My hon. Friend knows of previous responsibilities that I have had in similar matters. I
therefore have great sympathy with those who may inadvertently have been infected with hepatitis C through national health service treatment, but the patients received the best treatment available in the light of medical knowledge at the time. In the absence of negligence, I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has no plans for special payments.
Mr. Jim Marshall (Leicester, South): When is the Leader of the House likely to proceed with the orders dealing with reorganisation of local authorities that are to have elections in 1997? I hesitate to mention my authority today in view of the criticism, much of it unfair. As the Leader of the House knows, Leicester has been a model for race relations in the United Kingdom for the past 20 years. However, there is increasing concern in my city about the delay in proceeding with the order. Will he seek to allay that fear and give a definite date?
Mr. Newton: I am afraid that I cannot give a definite date this afternoon but I shall bring the hon. Gentleman's question to the attention of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, who will be responsible for proceeding with the orders.
Mr. Max Madden (Bradford, West): If we cannot have a debate on the water industry, particularly Yorkshire Water, will the Leader of the House encourage the Secretary of State for the Environment to make a statement to the House, I hope to announce a wholly independent public inquiry into the affairs of Yorkshire Water, which seems to combine breathtaking incompetence with awesome contempt for its customers?
On the Asylum and Immigration Bill, will the Leader of the House ensure that the so-called white list of safe third countries is published before the Bill's Second Reading, which is to take place a week on Monday?
Mr. Newton:
I cannot be as helpful as I would naturally like to be on either point. I have already referred to the Yorkshire Water question, as did my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. On the latter point, I was present at Home Office questions earlier today when the Minister of State, Home Office commented on that subject. I cannot add to that this afternoon.
Mr. Paul Flynn (Newport, West):
When can we debate the savings that could be made by replacing Select Committee trips abroad by techniques such as video conferencing? Not only would that be much more efficient and save a great deal of money, but it might produce much better reports. Has the Leader of the House noticed that many of the reports compiled in the House are much better than those delivered by Committees that travel far abroad? Does not that prove the Chinese proverb that the further one travels, the less one knows?
Mr. Winnick:
I would not put it to the vote.
Mr. Newton:
The hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) has been more helpful than I can ever remember him being before. I shall rest on his comment.
Mr. John Spellar (Warley, West):
I draw the attention of the Leader of the House to early-day motion 134:
[That this House welcomes the visit of President Clinton to this country and looks forward to the continuation of good relations between the United Kingdom and the USA; believes, however, that this would
be better served by good corporate behaviour of British firms in America; and deplores the attempts by Hanson to cut the wages and conditions of their employees in California.]
Will he arrange time for a debate on the behaviour of British corporations abroad? Should not they enhance Britain's reputation abroad rather than damage it, as Hanson is doing by cutting the wages and conditions of workers in California?
Mr. Newton:
Just as the corporate activities of United States companies here would be a matter for them subject to United Kingdom law, the corporate activities of British companies in the United States are a matter for them as governed by US law.
Mr. Secretary Gummer, supported by Mr. Secretary Lang, Mrs. Secretary Bottomley, Mr. Secretary Forsyth, Mr. Secretary Hague, Mrs. Angela Knight, Mr. David Curry and Sir Paul Beresford, presented a Bill to make provision about liability for non-domestic rates in England and Wales in relation to certain caravans and boats: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Monday 4 December and to be printed. [Bill 9.]
Mr. Secretary Dorrell, supported by Secretary Sir Patrick Mayhew, Mr. Secretary Forsyth, Mr. Roger Freeman, Mr. Secretary Hague and Mr. Gerald Malone, presented a Bill to make provision about the Health Service Commissioners: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Monday 4 December and to be printed. [Bill 10.]
Motion made, and Question put forthwith pursuant to Standing Order No. 101(4) (Standing Committees on Statutory Instruments, &c.),
Question agreed to.
Order read for resuming debate on Question [28 November].
Motion made, and Question proposed,
The President of the Board of Trade and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Mr. Ian Lang):
I welcome the opportunity of this resumed debate on the Budget to emphasise what my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor has made clear in each of his Budgets: that the single most important contribution that the Government can make to fostering growth and improving competitiveness--both of which are essential for business success and national prosperity--is to provide a stable macro-economic background. That means controlling public spending, achieving and sustaining low inflation and keeping Government borrowing and taxation low. Hence we have a Budget that works towards those objectives: Government borrowing falling to zero in the medium term; getting public spending to below 40 per cent. of national income; getting inflation down below 2.5 per cent. and keeping it there; and progress towards a 20 per cent. basic rate of income tax. The Budget that my right hon. and learned Friend delivered on Tuesday enshrined all of those objectives. It leaves people and business with more of what they earn and spends more on what they care about.
The Budget reaffirms our overriding commitment to providing the framework and conditions under which enterprise and wealth creation can flourish. It cannot be said too often that businesses and individuals, not
Governments, create wealth. We need to encourage and reward their hard work and prudent savings, which are the foundations for future investment.
All 26 million income tax payers will gain from the income tax cuts that my right hon. and learned Friend announced on Tuesday. Savers will benefit from the reduction, from 25p to 20p, of tax on savings income. The package of help for business announced by my right hon. and learned Friend addresses business concerns directly, which is perhaps why it was so warmly welcomed by the Confederation of British Industry.
Mr. Peter Hain (Neath):
On the concerns of business, why has the right hon. Gentleman reneged on the commitment given by his predecessor to reduce the Post Office's external financing limit and instead doubled it so that an extra £400 million will be taken out of the Post Office? That will increase prices for the ordinary customer and massively restrict the Post Office's ability to modernise and invest in new sorting equipment and so forth. Is that not just another hidden tax and an example of the Government giving with one hand and taking away with the other?
Mr. Lang:
My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister did not give the firm commitment that the hon. Gentleman suggests. He gave an indication of what the Government's aim would be and expressed the hope that it would be possible to make progress. We have indeed made progress with the arrangements that my right hon. Friend set out last May.
That the Probation (Amendment) Rules 1995 (S. I., 1995, No. 2622) be referred to a Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation.--[Mr. Bates.]
That it is expedient to amend the law with respect to the National Debt and the public revenue and to make further provision in connection with finance; but this Resolution does not extend to the making of any amendment with respect to value added tax so as to provide--
(a) for zero-rating or exempting any supply, acquisition or importation otherwise than by--
(i) zero-rating or exempting supplies of goods which are, or are to be, subjected to a fiscal or other warehousing regime; or (ii) zero-rating or exempting supplies of services on or in relation to such goods;
(b) for refunding any amount of tax otherwise than to persons constructing or converting buildings in cases where the construction or conversion is not in the course or furtherance of a business;
Question again proposed.
(c) for varying any rate at which that tax is at any time chargeable; or
(d) for relief other than relief applying to goods of whatever description or services of whatever description.-- [Mr. Kenneth Clarke.]
5.38 pm
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