Mr Norman Fowler: I wish to ask for the customary indulgence of the House in making my maiden speech. I only wish that my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Deedes) had mentioned a little earlier the fact that he was in possession of such a useful American booklet as "How to speak in public on drugs". I wish first to mention my predecessor, Mr. George Perry, who sat for Nottingham, South from 1966....
Mr Norman Fowler: In the case of the four security wings that remain, will my right hon. Friend consider changing the policy of his predecessor and allowing representatives of national newspapers to see the conditions in those wings, so that they can inform the public of them?
Mr Norman Fowler: As the Minister says that the main obstacle in the way of provision of better working facilities is the very serious overcrowding in our prisons, would he consider publishing proposals on how the prison population could be reduced?
Mr Norman Fowler: asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the present shortage of policemen in England and Wales; and what plans he has for improving police recruitment.
Mr Norman Fowler: In view of the seriousness of the police recruiting situation, will my right hon. Friend give an assurance that he has no intention of repeating the policy of the last Government and artificially restricting police recruiting?
Mr Norman Fowler: In regard to the purpose-built schools, would the right hon. Lady not agree that the last Government in pushing through comprehensive schools had the effect in constituencies like mine of creating schools where buildings, far from being purpose-built, are a mile away from one another? Would the Ministry give priority to tackling that kind of thing?
Mr Norman Fowler: Everyone will agree with my hon. Friend that fire is a problem to which extremely little attention is paid, bearing in mind the serious loss of life occurring each year. The figure of 1,000 dead is more on the scale of a war than on the scale of a disaster. Fire is a problem which affects vulnerable sections of the population, the old and the very young, people who are least able to help...
Mr Norman Fowler: I accept that this is not a subject in which party politics should play a large part. I was pointing out that no charge of complacency should be made against the present Government which seems to have acted with commendable speed on this important subject. The Bill concerns the mass fire risk hazards. This is only the tip of the problem, because most of the increase in deaths in recent years...
Mr Norman Fowler: Yes, I accept the hon. Gentleman's point. It is very valid and means that the Bill cannot be extended ad infinitum. It is a point which I shall come to later. On the question of multi-occupation, I should like to read what the Holroyd Committee said in paragraph 395 of its Report about this difficulty between the housing Acts and the Bill. The Report says: Many fire fatalities occur in...
Mr Norman Fowler: Perhaps it would be wise to recognise, first, that there is a close relationship between immigration policy and race relations. Only when the public feel that the immigration question is settled will they accept the need for more effective race relations policies. That point has been recognised by successive Governments. The right hon. Member for Cardiff, South-East (Mr. Callaghan) told the...
Mr Norman Fowler: asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for improving facilities for the treatment and after care of drug users.
Mr Norman Fowler: I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Is the number of drug users treated by the drug dependence clinics rising or falling? Is any study being made of compulsory treatment for addicts?
Mr Norman Fowler: asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the future of the Community Relations Commission.
Mr Norman Fowler: I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply and congratulate him on appointing Mr. Mark Bonham Carter as the new Chairman of the Commission. Will my right hon. Friend point out to Mr. Bonham Carter that one of the most urgent tasks facing the Commission is to define the essential task of the Commission and, once he has done so, to make it known to the public?
Mr Norman Fowler: asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he intends to take to reduce overcrowding in prisons.
Mr Norman Fowler: I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his reply. As non-custodial treatment depends so much on the probation service, I draw the attention of the right hon. Gentleman to the report in today's Press that many probation officers are having to take second jobs to make ends meet. Will he consider at least reviewing the conditions of service of probation officers?
Mr Norman Fowler: I wish to support my hon. Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Kenneth Clarke), who pointed out that people are not as concerned about fowlpest as they are about foot-and-mouth disease. I trust that my hon. Friend will note that the support from Nottinghamshire, in this case, comes from a constituency which is predominantly urban. I have had talks with N.F.U. representatives in Nottingham...
Mr Norman Fowler: One of the most extraordinary features about the continuing debate on the case of Mr, Rudi Dutschke has been the changing path which right hon. and hon. Gentlemen opposite have taken. Before Christmas, in the debate on the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill, many right hon. and hon. Members on this side of the House understood that the Opposition wanted an assurance that the Government would be...
Mr Norman Fowler: Would not my right hon. Friend agree, apart from a straight pay increase, that one of the most important tests of any new agreement must be whether it provides better incentives for long service and for promotion? In both respects at the moment the police pay structure is quite inadequate.
Mr Norman Fowler: Would my right hon. Friend not agree that the introduction of commercial radio could considerably increase the opportunities of work for journalists and that this might be a factor of some importance? Would he bear in mind the need to introduce some kind of commercial radio news programme on the lines of I.T.N.?