House of Commons Hansard Debates for 18 Apr 1996 (pt 5)

Mrs. Taylor: May I thank the Leader of the House for that information and in particular for the notice of the provisional business for the week after next? Will he build on that good will by giving as early an indication as possible to the House of the likely date of this year's summer economic debate? That would be of interest to all hon. Members. May I also ask him to ensure that the House is kept fully informed of any developments on bovine spongiform encephalopathy? He knows that there are still unresolved issues following Tuesday's statement. It is important that hon. Members should be able to continue to express their views and concern on that vital issue.

We now know that next Wednesday, European Standing Committee B will consider certain EC documents. The Leader of the House will be aware that I have raised with him the concerns expressed by Members on both sides of the House and by the Select Committee on European Legislation, that those matters should be debated on the Floor of the House rather than in Committee. As the issues involved include the impact of currency fluctuations on the internal market, progress towards convergence and exchange rate relations in stage 3 of economic and monetary union, may I ask him, even at this late stage, to reconsider his decision that those issues should be dealt with in Committee? If he will not change his mind on that, will he remind hon. Members that any Member can attend and participate in that Committee's discussions?

Will the Leader of the House find Government time for a debate on the future of the electricity industry? It is vital that the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report

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currently sitting on the desk of the President of the Board of Trade is published and debated as soon as possible. All Members need access to that report, and it is important that the House should make an early decision on the best way forward for the electricity industry.

Finally, on another extremely important matter, will the Leader of the House ensure that there will be time in the near future for Ministers to come to the House and make it clear what action has been taken since last year's water supply crisis to protect the interests of families and industry throughout the country, especially in Yorkshire? We should be given a proper assessment by Ministers of what has been done since last summer and Ministers should be prepared to intervene as soon as action might be necessary to conserve water for this year. The Government cannot abdicate their responsibility for the health and economic implications of severe water shortages. We should debate the matter and there should be action by Ministers before another crisis occurs.

Mr. Newton: I note with appreciation the hon. Lady's introductory remarks and, as always, I shall seek to give the House the earliest possible indication of the summer economic debate.

On BSE, I think that everything that has happened in the past two or three weeks shows my willingness, and, indeed, that of my right hon. Friends, to keep the House closely informed of developments. Of course, we shall maintain that posture.

On the debate in European Standing Committee B, I doubt that the hon. Lady harboured hopes that I would change my mind at the Dispatch Box this afternoon. I cleave to the view that, in general, the very fact that Ministers can be closely questioned gives those debates some advantages over a conventional debate on the Floor of the House. I underline her reminder that another advantage of the format is that, although they would not be able to vote if there were a vote, any hon. Member can attend and speak at such meetings.

I have no plans for a debate in Government time on the electricity industry. The hon. Lady will be aware that consideration of MMC reports is undertaken by the President of the Board of Trade, who acts in what virtually amounts to a semi-judicial capacity. The time to contemplate such a debate, if there were such a time, would be when a conclusion had been reached on those reports.

I imagine that the hon. Lady's request for Ministers to make clear the current state of the water supply industry is influenced in part by her understandable and legitimate constituency considerations. I shall bring her remarks to the attention of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, who, I note, will be in the House to answer questions on Tuesday 30 April.

Sir Jim Spicer (West Dorset): My right hon. Friend will have heard the reports of the speech made last night by the Commissioner responsible for farming, which make it clear that the meeting on 29 April will not result in the lifting of the ban on British beef. Against the background of the crisis that that fact poses for our farming community, does my right hon. Friend think that it might be possible for us to find time for a debate not on BSE but on British beef and its future? Given that we still import 30 per cent. of our beef from overseas and the

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European Community, is it not time that we told the public how they can help us to cut that import figure from 30 per cent. to nil and to increase the consumption of British beef to 100 per cent.?

Mr. Newton: I certainly think that many of my hon. Friends and Opposition Members would welcome the debate that my hon. Friend has proposed, even though I cannot say snap immediately to his proposal. I, too, would welcome any opportunity to remind people that scientists say that British beef is safe; the World Health Organisation says that British beef is safe; the Agriculture Commissioner says that British beef is safe; and in my view, British beef is safe. I am continuing to eat it.

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