Andrew MacKay: As it is several weeks since the right hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. Hughes) returned, will the Prime Minister explain why his Government have delayed so long in making a public statement, bearing in mind the fact that there has been considerable misunderstanding and uncertainty about British policy on Rhodesia in that country?
Andrew MacKay: Is the Home Secretary aware that the TGWU pickets outside the Cadbury-Schweppes factory in Birmingham, only three hours ago on local radio, said quite bluntly that they would play no part in the voluntary code of practice? Against the advice of their regional trade union organiser, they said that they would continue secondary picketing. Does not this mean that the trade union leaders have...
Andrew MacKay: asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to start phasing out vehicle excise duty.
Andrew MacKay: When the Minister considers his timetable, will he reflect on his statement in the House before Christmas suggesting that the number of people employed at the Swansea licensing centre would be reduced because of this new scheme? Surely there will still be a registration document, for which a fee will be payable. Surely the motorist will still have to show an MOT certificate and an insurance...
Andrew MacKay: In view of the Minister's natural concern for coach safety, especially on motorways, will he comment on the fact that 270 motorway maintenance men in the Midlands have gone on strike today, with the result that there is no gritting on any of the motorways within 30 miles of Birmingham?
Andrew MacKay: asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the present laws relating to the display of pornographic material.
Andrew MacKay: Is the Minister aware that there is such public concern about the increase in the display of indecent material in public that many hon. Members are now receiving considerable representations about it from their electors through the post? Secondly, is he aware that many of us have grave doubts about the composition of the Williams committee and particularly the balance of that committee?
Andrew MacKay: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the people of Birmingham will consider his statement totally complacent and will think that the director of radiotherapy at the hospital is the man who is best able to tell the effect of this action on his patients? Since the director said yesterday: I am sure some of these people will die because of this action", what action does the Secretary of State...
Andrew MacKay: I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely, the effect of NUPE action in Birmingham". I suggest to you, Mr. Speaker, that this is a specific matter because today in the Birmingham area 300 miles of motorway around the city, heavily covered by...
Andrew MacKay: asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the waiting lists for surgery in the Birmingham area.
Andrew MacKay: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the already disgracefully long period that my constituents have to wait for surgery will be made even worse by the NUPE dispute? Bearing that in mind, will the right hon. Gentleman dissociate himself from the remarks of the Secretary of State last Thursday when, in this House, he condemned the director of radiotherapy at the Queen Elizabeth hospital who...
Andrew MacKay: Has the attention of the Leader of the House been drawn to early-day motion 212, which has been signed by 112 right hon. and hon. Members, referring to the statement made last Thursday by the Secretary of State for Social Services when he strongly criticised the director of radiotherapy at the Queen Elizabeth hospital, Birmingham? Bearing in mind that a few moments ago the Secretary of State...
Andrew MacKay: I apologise for not being present throughout the debate, but for personal reasons I was late in arriving at the House. But there is a special reason why I, like my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam), want to speak. Until recently, I had taken only a general interest in the problems of vaccine-damaged children, but then I had the case of a constituent whose child had had...
Andrew MacKay: Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Secretary of State chose not to believe the director of radiotherapy at the Queen Elizabeth hospital—the man who knew whether his patients were going to die—and instead chose to believe, first, the NUPE regional officer and, second, members of the area health authority, who were not at the hospital? Is my right hon. Friend further aware that the...
Andrew MacKay: I rise to oppose this motion for an Instruction. It is important that clause 39 remains part of the Bill. I should like to explain in broad principle why we consider clause 39 to be so important. It is in the interests of the overwhelming majority of the citizens who live in the West Midlands metropolitan county district, first, that their lives are not unreasonably disrupted. Secondly, it is...
Andrew MacKay: That is interesting, because this is principally a consolidation measure. As the hon. Member for Perry Barr said earlier, at present Birmingham and Solihull have no such provision. The remaining districts in the West Midlands metropolitan county area have a provision of 24 or 48 hours. Are we right in assuming that the hon. Member for Perry Barr and his hon. Friends opposite would be happy in...
Andrew MacKay: I am not sure how one organises a spontaneous demonstration. The whole point behind the remarks made now and earlier by the hon. Member for Perry Barr was that when Sir David Perris organised his many marches in his 13 years with the Birmingham trades council he always informed the police. Under the Bill, Sir David will have no problems in organising as many more marches as he wants to. It...
Andrew MacKay: The answer is quite simple, if one looks at the definition of "spontaneity". If a march is spontaneous, it does not come under this Bill and it is quite wrong for hon. Members opposite to suggest that it does and to put fear into the minds of trade unionists or, as was also mentioned by the hon. Members for Perry Barr and for Bethnal Green and Bow, to refer to the example of mothers taking...
Andrew MacKay: Any person who is to be prosecuted has to come before the courts. Clearly, the courts will define what "spontaneity" is. I have given two examples, that of union members deciding on the spur of the moment, because of a sudden act by their firm, to march on the head office, and that of mothers. Neither is to be included in this Act because their act is spontaneous. I will now refer to another...
Andrew MacKay: The hon. Gentleman's last comment has been adequately covered by some of his hon. Friends. In the great majority of cases, those who oppose a march or demonstration will know about it long before the three days' notice is given. If they wish to counter-march, they may apply for permission and the organisers of the counter-march will be responsible for the counter-marchers, just as those who...
