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Mr. Edward O'Hara (Knowsley, South): Will the Leader of the House find time for an urgent debate on the future of the car industry in Britain, consequent upon Ford's recent announcement that it intends to shed 1,300 jobs at the Halewood factory in my constituency? The implications are extremely serious. Apart from those 1,300 jobs, a further 3,200 jobs at Halewood may be in jeopardy in the near future, not to mention the gearbox plant there, and 10,000 or more jobs at Ford's plants elsewhere in the country. Ford, the leader in car sales in Britain, will end up importing three of the four best-selling models, at a cost of several billion pounds to the balance of trade. That demonstrates that the vaunted policy of easy inward investment, especially in the car industry, is also easy go.

Mr. Newton: While I understand why the hon. Gentleman raises the matter, and why several Merseyside Members did so last week, I should say firmly that the totality of car investment decisions taken and announced recently, including that by Nissan, makes it clear that the car industry has a good future in this country--significantly better than it had 17 or 18 years ago, when the Government came into office. The hon. Gentleman will know that my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry has agreed to meet a delegation of local Members of Parliament, local authorities and trade union delegates to discuss further the concerns that have been expressed about Halewood.

Mr. Jacques Arnold: May I support the earlier call for a debate on the financial crisis at Kent county council? My constituents are in uproar at the proposals by the Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition running Kent county council that there should be cuts of 34 per cent. in the adult education budget, 34 per cent. in the youth budget, 3 per cent. off primary schools and 7 per cent. off secondary schools--all that at a time when the Government have made available an extra £22.5 million, which means an extra 3.6 per cent. on the funding for education. During that debate it should be pointed out that Labour finance spokesmen in the House have said that they do not need more money. Let us reflect on what would happen if the Labour party was in government.

Mr. Newton: I certainly acknowledge that the speech by the shadow Chancellor earlier this week undermines--

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to put it mildly--the usual lines of argument by Labour-controlled local authorities, no doubt including Kent. As I understood the sedentary interruptions earlier, efforts have already been made to stage a Wednesday morning debate. I am sure that you, Madam Speaker, will bear in mind the obvious concern that is felt in Kent.

Mr. D. N. Campbell-Savours (Workington): Will the Leader of the House reflect on the fact that all 16 Members of Parliament in Kent are Conservatives? Will he take on board the concerns of many of my colleagues on Kent county council who are very angry about the way in which their affairs are being grossly misrepresented in Parliament by Conservative Members? They, too, want to see a debate so that the full story about the financial position of Kent county council may be revealed, their words may be heard and justice may be served in allocating money to the precious services that they are trying so valiantly to protect.

Mr. Newton: As you will realise, Madam Speaker, there is cross-party support for a debate on Kent. That will not necessarily influence the position, but I am sure that it will be noted.

Madam Speaker: As soon as I get to my office I shall look to see whether an application has been made for an Adjournment debate, as I also heard the comment from a sedentary position.

Mr. Edward Leigh (Gainsborough and Horncastle): May we have a debate on the interesting idea of expanding the cadet forces? If such a debate were to take place, would the Government articulate their view that it is quite appropriate for suitable and trained youngsters to acquire military and firearms skills? Would the Government argue also that, when those youngsters leave the cadet forces, they would be encouraged to join the many institutions in this country whose constitutions state specifically that they are set up to instruct young people about firearms skills--namely, the 2,000 registered gun clubs across Britain?

Mr. Newton: I echo the words of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister who said that participation in cadet forces gives young people the opportunity to develop qualities of leadership, responsibility, self-reliance and the like. I would want to continue to encourage such development.

Mr. Norman Hogg (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth): May I strongly support what the Leader of the House has said. I was a national serviceman and I am very proud of the fact that I completed my two years' service--unlike a certain member of the Cabinet who ran away from his obligations to his country. We would therefore contribute to a debate with some authority, and I hope that it will take place soon.

Mr. Newton: Should such a debate take place, I would look forward to the hon. Gentleman's contribution.

Mr. Peter Luff (Worcester): May I press my right hon. Friend to hold a debate on the terms and conditions of employment of public sector employees in light of the shadow Chancellor's implausible pledges on public

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spending and public sector pay, and the trade unions' veiled threats of a new winter of discontent. Those threats are made all the more potent by the experience in my county of Hereford and Worcester where Unison is taking the county council Lib-Lab pact to court for the shocking mistreatment of its employees, which has prompted a leading Labour councillor, Adrian Gregson, to say that his members were better off under the Tories.

Mr. Newton: My hon. Friend makes yet another plea for what I shall call a locally directed debate. I always bear in mind such requests, but I draw my hon. Friend's attention to the possibilities that exist for debate on Wednesday mornings.

Mr. Kevin Barron (Rother Valley): Will the Leader of the House allow time for a statement or debate about the operation of the cold weather payments scheme? The southern half of my constituency is served by the Nottingham weather station, which triggered one severe weather payment during the recent cold spell. The northern half of my constituency is served by the Leeds weather station, which did not trigger any such payments. Just over the border, the neighbouring constituency to the north is served by the Waddington weather station, which triggered two payments during the recent cold spell. People who live five miles apart cannot understand why some of them get one payment while others get two, and those in the middle cannot understand why they get none at all.

Mr. Newton: As I think I said last week in response to one of my hon. Friends, the suitability of weather stations in respect of that scheme is reviewed annually, and I am sure that the hon. Gentleman's representations will be taken into account as part of that.

Mr. Tony Banks: May I add my voice to the clamour for a debate on the cadet forces? Unlike the Prime Minister, I served my nation when at school by joining the Air Training Corps, where I became a sergeant, and I think the whole House can see the mess that it made of me. We do not need any lectures on the desirability of the cadet forces from a trio of white-feathered "jobbies" in the form of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Defence. Would not it be better, if we have that debate, to encourage our children to join the woodcraft folk, so that they can learn to love their fellow creatures rather than how to shoot them?

Mr. Newton: I am left slightly open-mouthed by the hon. Gentleman's description of his youth, which appears to bear little relationship to his adulthood, except, perhaps, that he learnt the qualities of resourcefulness and endurance, which were among those on my list. There are many other excellent organisations, including the scouts and the guides and their associated groups, and many others as well, and none of us would wish to do anything other than encourage them. Before anybody asks me, I did not join the cadet force, because I went to a Quaker school that did not have one.

Mr. Gerald Bermingham (St. Helens, South): May I return yet again to my non-political subject of last week? Bearing in mind the fact that the hon. Member for Thanet, North (Mr. Gale) is shortly to introduce the Bill of the

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late Lord Houghton, which twice went through the other place, I ask the Leader of the House to prevail on his colleagues to give that Bill some assistance through the House during the current Parliament, as it brings into effect many of the proposals contained in the Home Affairs Select Committee's report on dogs, and it would be both a tribute to the late Lord Houghton and a great service to the canine population of this country, which needs some protection.

Mr. Newton: I am sure that my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary will take careful note of the hon. Gentleman's observations.

Mr. Paul Flynn (Newport, West): When can we debate the report of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology on nano-technology? This is the technology that will delight and provide jobs for our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren. Britain had a worldwide lead in this, yet the Government have cancelled research and broken up the nano-technology forum. Will not future generations look at this Parliament and say that we were mad, because we are spending £60 million on a symbol of the nation's pride in the last century and refusing to spend £4 million on what could be the nation's pride in the next century?

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