Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about monitoring arrangements for the EU-Israel association agreement. [18308]
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: As the Israeli Government's plans to proceed with the Har Homa settlement have been almost universally denounced—including by the British Government—will my right hon. Friend undertake at the imminent meeting of the political committee of the EU to press for the EU to express its profound opposition to those plans and for the introduction of extensive monitoring arrangements of the...
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the implementation of the selective cull scheme in the north-west. [13102]
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: It seems probable that farmers in the north-west will have to import cattle to replace those taken out by the selective cull. Bearing in mind the fact that bovine spongiform encephalopathy exists in other countries, can my hon. Friend assure the House about the health status of any cattle that may be imported?
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: Will my right hon. Friend spare a moment to compare the position of a manufacturer in my constituency with that of his German competitor, who happens to be a friend? The German manufacturer in Bavaria is required to give each employee, every year, 29 days holiday, and an additional 13 days holiday for the religious holidays, which is more than eight weeks holiday in the year. Furthermore, it...
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: I accept the views expressed by everyone—I am sure—in the House on the crucial nature of the agreement. Will my right hon. and learned Friend bear in mind in any discussions with Israeli Ministers that there are wider issues too? The future economic development of the Palestinians is crucial, and without free movement between the Gaza strip, the west bank and east Jerusalem, where many...
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: My hon. Friend should be congratulated on mentioning that point. He will be aware that many of the elderly and others in my constituency have suffered from those cuts. He mentioned the cut in the social services budget of £6 million in 1993–94. Perhaps he will go on to deal with the figures, but I invite him to comment at this stage on the fact that it was also cut by £3 million in...
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: I am delighted to follow the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell), as I wish to support him. First, however, I shall say a few words about emotion. My right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor) made a powerful argument, with great passion and eloquence. My hon. Friend the Member for South Staffordshire (Sir P. Cormack) correctly said that we must allow emotion...
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: Nor has the hon. Member for Great Grimsby. The House is entitled to a statistical explanation of that very important fact tonight, as are those of my constituents who attend the Morecambe rifle and pistol club. If the Government were to say, "Some weapons can be dismantled, so we shall allow their use under stringent controls in gun clubs, but we are afraid that the others, which cannot be...
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: Does my right hon. and learned Friend think that it was wrong to appoint Lord Cullen to conduct the inquiry?
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that a successful, enterprising and adventurous economy such as Britain should follow the example of other adventurous economies and avoid any restrictions on employment laws as advocated by the Labour party? Will he remind the Labour party that we are against the social chapter and the minimum wage not because we do not want high standards of...
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the recently announced decision of CENELEC. [526]
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: Was it not always crazy to try to create a standardised European plug, as some people advocated? Does my hon. Friend therefore agree that what happened was a massive victory for common sense? Is it not rather disquieting that the officials who attended the meeting that made the recommendation were enjoined not to talk about their discussions? Should not such decisions be made in a way that...
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: Does my right hon. Friend agree that, in the light of the Israeli Government's extraordinary and unacceptable pursuit of the peace process, a visit by any British Foreign Secretary to Jerusalem gives the opportunity for a visit to Orient house, and that our right hon. and learned Friend should be strongly urged to make such a visit because, by doing so, he would send a message without...
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: Before my right hon. and learned Friend sits down, will he give way?
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: My right hon. and learned Friend is most kind. I know that he mentioned the cold storage scheme, but unfortunately I had to attend to an urgent matter outside. Let me briefly draw to his attention a point about the north-west and Lancaster in particular. Although it is a small market, there is a great backlog of 2,700 cattle awaiting slaughter. That figure will increase dramatically in the...
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: My right hon. and learned Friend has demonstrated that in scientific laboratory conditions BSE can be transmitted to sheep. What possible evidence is there that that happens in the field, particularly in relation to sheep that are younger than eight years old and have never been able to eat any bovine beef?
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: My hon. Friend will appreciate that there are many interventions because this is a complicated scheme. He is to be congratulated because what he is trying to do is unprecedented. I should like to add to what my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster (Dame E. Kellett-Bowman) said. In the north-east, there are five slaughterers on the list of 21, and in the north-west there are two. I do not want...
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that the continuing restrictions on the movement of Palestinians out of Gaza and the west bank to their work is causing them most dire economic hardship? As any peace process must involve winning the hearts and minds of people who are not violent and want to go about their business, everyone should make the strongest representations to the Israeli...
Mr Mark Lennox-Boyd: Will my right hon. Friend comment on the good news of the week—that retail beef sales in Britain are back to 85 per cent. of what they were before the beef scare?
