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Mr. Norris: I entirely understand that point. I do not think that the hon. Gentleman and I are at odds on what we want the outcome to be. We want doctors clearly to understand their duty. The hon. Gentleman would introduce a legal constraint on them. I have said that, although I quite understand the merit of that argument, there would be a prospect of some serious disbenefit to doctors who are simply trying to do their best. As I have
said, there is very clear guidance, which, if I may paraphrase, says to doctors: "Be under no illusion. Your confidential relationship with your patient is extremely important but it cannot be more important than the life of an innocent bystander or another driver such as Paul Scarisbrick, or, indeed, patients themselves. In those circumstances, your duty, general practitioner, is entirely clear."
I will not, of course, close my mind or say that the Department's mind is closed on the matter, and I shall look at the idea of incorporating declarations on medical insurance forms, which may have some merit. Without any prejudice, I am happy that we should do so.
The main message should go out very clearly to doctors, and I am extremely grateful to the hon. Member for Knowsley, North for giving us the opportunity to send it. It is very simple: if in doubt about the ethics of disclosure, rather than whether the patient is fit to drive, be in no doubt. In fact, there is no doubt that there is a very distinct obligation to report. The judgment on suitability is of course a matter for doctors themselves.
It being Two o'clock, the motion for the Adjournment of the House lapsed, without Question put.
Sitting suspended, pursuant to Standing Order No. 10 (Wednesday sittings), till half-past Two o'clock.
Manufacturing Industry
1. Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to discuss developments in manufacturing industry at the next meeting he attends with his European Union counterparts. [32107]
The President of the Board of Trade and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Mr. Ian Lang): My colleagues and I meet regularly with our European Union counterparts to discuss a range of industrial issues. Later this afternoon I shall be meeting the Swedish Minister for Industry and Energy, Mr. Anders Sundstrom.
Mr. Griffiths: I thank the President for that reply. Given that the occasional paper on United Kingdom investment performance shows that manufacturing investment is lower now than in 1979, and the latest output figures show that we are technically in recession, does the right hon. Gentleman agree with the Chancellor that our poor manufacturing record could be made worse by the antics of the Tory Europhobes who, even now, could be scaring off inward investment?
Mr. Lang: The hon. Gentleman might need to be reminded that under this Government total investment has risen six times faster than under the Labour Government. Manufacturing investment in plant and machinery is up 12 per cent. since the beginning of the recovery and up 10 per cent. last year alone. The hon. Gentleman is painting a somewhat misleading picture. I am encouraged by that strength of investment, which will lead to greater output and better export figures in due course.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: When my right hon. Friend next meets his European counterparts, will he remind them that Britain is more competitive today than it has been for decades? Will he remind them that between a third and a quarter of all inward investment in the past 10 years has come to this country rather than to the rest of the European Union? Above all, will he remind them that whereas Britain is creating jobs--we have more people in work than ever before--the rest of Europe has 18 million unemployed and that figure is rising?
Mr. Lang: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. That inward investment is a measure of our increased competitiveness. As a result of our policies, overseas companies, many of them European, are flocking to the United Kingdom. When the Leader of the Opposition was in Germany yesterday, I wonder whether he reflected on the fact that, last year alone, 58 German companies decided to locate in Britain, fleeing from the sort of stakeholder economy with which Labour wants to saddle us.
Mrs. Beckett: Will the Secretary of State acknowledge that investment in manufacturing is lower in real terms than when the Government came to power and that, far from what was just said by the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Clifton-Brown), in manufacturing output we are seventh out of 15 in the European Union? Will he
acknowledge that we are not even in the top three for unemployment, investment or inflation, and that we had the largest total trade deficit in Europe in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 and almost certainly in 1995? Is it not the case that, far from being the enterprise centre of Europe, under this Government Britain has slipped from 13th to 18th place in the world prosperity league?
Mr. Lang: The right hon. Lady is talking nonsense and giving a totally misleading picture. She seems to have forgotten that since 1980 the United Kingdom has had the fastest growth in gross domestic product--equal with Germany--the fastest growth in productivity bar none, the fastest growth in manufacturing output, the fastest growth in investment, the fastest growth in private consumption and the lowest tax burden. The right hon. Lady should give a fairer and more accurate picture of what is going on in this country.
Rev. Martin Smyth: Does the President of the Board of Trade agree that sometimes the opposition to investment in the United Kingdom comes from some short-sighted British firms who object, for example, to the Europe Tool Company from South Korea investing in Northern Ireland? Some of those firms are actually purchasing tool components from Korea that could be manufactured in the United Kingdom by British industry.
Mr. Lang: The hon. Gentleman will acknowledge that the economy of Northern Ireland has benefited enormously from inward investment into this country. I believe that most of those decisions are taken for long-term reasons, because countries throughout the world can identify the improvement in productivity and competitiveness in this country, and therefore in their manufacturing plans for the global market they regard the United Kingdom--including Northern Ireland, obviously--as the best base for exporting into the European market and beyond. The dramatic success that the United Kingdom has had in attracting inward investment is a tribute to the progress that has been made under the present Government.
Mining Industry
2. Mr. Skinner: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he next expects to meet those in the mining industry responsible for (a) production and (b) health and safety. [32108]
The Minister for Industry and Energy (Mr. Tim Eggar): My ministerial colleagues and I meet representatives of the coal mining industry as appropriate.
Mr. Skinner: When the Minister next meets Richard Budge, who since privatisation is the principal owner of most of the mines in Great Britain, will he tell him that it is pretty clear to most people in the mining industry that Mr. Budge is cutting corners on safety in order to make massive profits to the tune of £173 million in the first year of privatisation and to line his own pockets to the tune of £661,000? Is the Minister aware that accident rates have increased by more than 50 per cent. and falls of ground by more than 80 per cent.?
Will the Minister order Richard Budge to ensure that, as in the old days, the National Union of Mineworkers and other trade unions will have the right to meet at properly
instituted safety committees? If Mr. Budge will not allow that to take place, independent inquiry should be set up into the escalating accident rates in underground mining.
Mr. Eggar:
When I next meet Mr. Budge, I shall congratulate him on the fact that, in 1995, deep-mine production has increased by 10 per cent. on that of 1994. I shall congratulate him on the fact that, despite the best efforts of Mr. Scargill and his cronies, including the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner), there were no strikes in the coal mining industry last year, for the first time since records began.
On safety, I shall not hesitate to point out to Mr. Budge that, sadly, the record in the last nine months of 1995 was as high as 8.18 accidents per 100,000 man shifts. I shall also point out to him, however, that that compares extremely favourably with the accident rate in 1979, which was almost 12 times higher, at 94.6 accidents per 100,000 man shifts. I might also ask him to suggest that the hon. Member for Bolsover apologises to the House and to the miners of this country for so misconstruing the position.
Mr. Luff:
Does my right hon. Friend agree that what he has just said could be summed up as "Britain is producing more coal more safely"? Is that not a direct tribute to the wise policies of privatisation that he has personally pursued so energetically in the House? How would that compare with the continued policy of nationalisation so slavishly advocated by the doctrinaire and dogmatic members of so-called new Labour?
Mr. Eggar:
I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. Back in 1994, the hon. Member for Bolsover said that he wanted renationalisation of the coal industry without compensation and the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook), speaking from the Opposition Front Bench, said:
"I would be astonished if our plans to rescue the coal industry after the next election did not involve public ownership."--[Official Report, 23 March 1994; Vol. 240, c. 313.]
I notice that the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) has been completely silent on that issue.
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