Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 24 July 1978.
The hon. Gentleman made a long speech and refused to give way to me, as I have done to him. The one thing about which we can be quite sure is that nationalist policies would mean a massive job loss in Scotland. Of that there is no doubt whatever.
In addition, the Government have imposed employment taxes. What has this cost us in jobs? In June 1976 an extra 2 per cent. was imposed on employment taxes. The Chancellor said that this might cost an extra 60,000 jobs. The Secretary of State for Employment said about 100,000 jobs, and in its evidence to the Expenditure Committee the Treasury said 150,000 jobs. Irrespective of whether the Chancellor or the Treasury was right, we know that it cost us a great number of jobs. In all of these things the Government's policies have made things worse. It is for this that we blame them.
In addition to that, as I mentioned, the nationalist policies certainly would make matters worse. I hope that the Secretary of State will comment on the special situation in Scotland. We should like to hear from him, for example, about the future of the steel industry, with special reference to Hunterston. The Government must remember that they were elected on a manifesto which said that they had ended the delay and dithering in Hunterston. Let me tell the House how they have done it. The plans for an integrated steel works apparently are out. The direct reduction plant apparently is to be mothballed and, of course, the plans for constructing oil platforms have never started. Therefore, I ask the Secretary of State what precisely are the plans for Hunterston? Then we were told that 7,000 Civil Service jobs were coming. There have been many delays. What is happening now?
What about shipbuilding? We read in The Economist and other papers this week that a further additional fund for the shipbuilding industry will depend on the Government putting forward proposals to run down the industry. Are these plans being delayed until after a General Election?
There have been many similar negative comments. But what should be done? Basically, the Opposition say that the answer is to embrace economic policies which will encourage the free enterprise system and encourage firms to expand. If people say that this is woolly, we point out that the track record is there for all to see. Although the hon. Member for Garston and others of his hon. Friends think that the answer is in public enterprise, the fact is that in the eight years of Labour Government from 1964 to 1970 and from 1974 to 1976 about 1½ million jobs disappeared from the private sector. They went for good, and contributed to unemployment. In the 8½ years of Conservative rule from 1959 to 1964 and from 1970 to 1974, the fact is that an additional 1·2 million jobs were created. That is the difference. Frankly, if the hon. Member for Walton and others are looking to nationalisation and public enterprise to resolve our unemployment problem, the facts speak against them. The only real growth and answer to employment can cone from encouraging private industry.