Gerald Kaufman: asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what date he intends to complete the abolition of selective employment tax; and what reduction he estimates this will bring about in the Index of Retail Prices.
Gerald Kaufman: Does the Minister recall the Prime Minister's television statement earlier this year that selective employment tax will be abolished in the first Budget and his further statement on television last month: I give you my word and I will keep my word"? Will the Minister confirm that the Prime Minister's second statement will govern action on his first statement?
Gerald Kaufman: It is with singular trepidation that I ask the indulgence of the House this evening because for the past five-and-a-half years it has been my lot to earn my livelihood in this Palace and I am particularly conscious of the high standards expected of an hon. Member. Like the hon. Member for Lancaster (Mrs. Kellett), the compassion and eloquence of whose speech I greatly admired and envied, I...
Gerald Kaufman: As the National Insurannce (Old Persons' and Widows' Pension and Attendance Allowance) Bill has proved how quickly the Government can frame and put through legislation, would the right hon. Gentleman agree to rearrange next week's business so as to allow for the introduction of a Bill to abolish selective employment tax and thus carry out the Prime Minister's pledge that it will be abolished...
Gerald Kaufman: The local rates are the responsibility of the local Conservative Council in Manchester. Is not it remarkable and perhaps to be commented on that neither of the Conservative Members of Parliament for the City of Manchester have taken the trouble to attend this debate which is so important for their constituents?
Gerald Kaufman: Is not what the Minister saying totally against the policy of his party? The Prime Minister and the Chancellor have both said that they will tackle the spiral of rising prices by intervening in rising prices in the public sector. These are fares in the public sector. Instead of arguing with my hon. Friend about who should put forward proposals, what is the Minister going to do to keep down...
Gerald Kaufman: Will the Minister, while considering this matter, at least take action to prevent the Manchester area transport authority, the S.E.L.N.E.C., from carrying into effect its penal suggestion of surcharges during these periods?
Gerald Kaufman: It is not a question of there not being sufficient money available in the Treasury. The hon. Lady should realise that she has been taken in by the Conservative election manifesto, as were the electorate. It did not commit the Conservative Party to pay full pension. It was very cleverly worded—"some pension as of right". The hon. Lady, quite sensibly, took the sense of the manifesto rather...
Gerald Kaufman: I would like to support my hon. Friends and the hon. Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward), perhaps more in the first part of her speech, dealing with her positive points of participation rather than with what she said about the medical profession. I press this point for two reasons. First, the inclusion of such an Amendment in the Bill would give confidence to those involved with making...
Gerald Kaufman: Will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that if no Chieftain tanks are sold by the British Government to Israel, then no British tanks will be sold to Libya?
Gerald Kaufman: rose—
Gerald Kaufman: rose—
Gerald Kaufman: asked the Prime Minister what is the cost today, including salaries, of the Press Office at No. 10 Downing Street, compared with the cost on 17th June, 1970.
Gerald Kaufman: May I thank the right hon. Gentleman, not only for his Answer but also for honouring me by linking my Question with a Question from the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten). Could the right hon. Gentleman explain, in view of the derogatory references to Press briefings made by the Foreign Secretary yesterday, among others, why it is now necessary for him to have three Chief Information...
Gerald Kaufman: I congratulate the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Tilney) on choosing a subject for his Adjournment debate which is of such importance to our democratic practice. I should like to follow him in the last points he made about mistakes on the register. All hon. Members, having fought the recent General Election, will have found people right up to Election day who suffered and had a...
Gerald Kaufman: I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for saying that. In fact, I was this very moment coming on to the question of the Court of Appeal judgment, which I know applies to his constituency. On 12th May the Master of the Rolls gave a judgment in the Appeal Court. The Times Law Report stated it thus: Students in colleges or halls of residence at universities are entitled to be placed on the...
Gerald Kaufman: When can I expect a satisfactory reply to my letter to the hon. Gentleman about the legality of the operations on the weekend of 3rd July? Can he reconcile his noble Friend's statement on 6th July in this House—that there was no curfew—with General Freeland's circular imposing a curfew on 3rd July?
Gerald Kaufman: On a point of order. I should like to draw to your attention, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the fact that this information is not available to the House because of the laziness and dereliction of duty of the Home Office. In July, I put down a Question to the Home Secretary asking for this information. Instead of its being provided—
Gerald Kaufman: Perhaps I may raise a simple statistical point. I do not expect the hon. Gentleman to answer it immediately, but perhaps he would do so before he sits down.
Gerald Kaufman: My right hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, South-East (Mr. Callaghan) spoke about the reduction in the representation of Bradford and the increase in the representation of Cumberland. Can the Minister tell the House the comparative electorates of Cumberland, which is to retain four Members, and Bradford, which is to be reduced from four to three?