Miss Joan Lestor: I was coming to children's diets, and advertising. Most of us have expressed concern about the decline in the school meals service. A recent survey in a school showed that children were bringing white bread sandwiches with jam or paste, chocolate biscuits, packets of crisps and drinks full of sugar. That may be the result of ignorance or of poverty. When we did away with decent school meals,...
Miss Joan Lestor: We could talk about Chancellors of the Exchequer who have their legal fees paid by the Treasury and the rest of us. If the hon. Gentleman wants to go into this game, there is a whole string of issues that we could raise.
Miss Joan Lestor: Yes, watches as well, but do not let us be silly. I began my speech on the assumption that we all care about what happens to children. What the intervention of the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Knapman) had to do with the sugar content in drinks I cannot imagine. In 1990, a Food Commission survey found that half of all advertising during one week of children's television was for food and soft...
Miss Joan Lestor: A little bit of that is creeping into advertising in this country and it is to be deplored. I mentioned some time ago in the House that Benson and Hedges uses the puffin symbol to advertise cigarettes. The moment we begin to link positive images for children, characters that they love with something else, we are on the road to disaster. I welcome the debate. All of us who care about children...
Miss Joan Lestor: I am interested in what the Minister says and I do not dispute his claim that there is now a developing variety of voluntary care. Unfortunately, it is very expensive. There is the problem of the women—it is usually a woman, although not always—who is left alone to bring up children for a variety of reasons. Women on income support find the fees of private day care prohibitive. People...
Miss Joan Lestor: Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Miss Joan Lestor: I share the hon. Gentleman's concern about the state of politics and what is coming across from this debate. I am a sponsored member of a trade union. It is not a secret because it is declared in the Register of Members' Interests. Anyone can read in the accounts of any trade union how the Labour party receives money from trade unions because it is public knowledge and the Labour party...
Miss Joan Lestor: By companies?
Miss Joan Lestor: In obedience to your ruling, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will not say much about the speech made by the hon. Member for Davyhulme (Mr. Churchill), except to say that the debate is being conducted at a time when xenophobia has found a voice in many parts of Europe. It is most important that we should make it absolutely clear that we will take no part in the speaking of that language. I want to...
Miss Joan Lestor: My hon. Friend has made my point for me. I was about to say that, as evacuees, we were in our own country and spoke the same language, albeit, perhaps, in different dialects. We knew a little of what was happening. We knew that our parents were alive, although we thought that they might be killed. The trauma will stay with those of us experienced evacuation as very small children for the rest...
Miss Joan Lestor: On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Flattered though I am that the Leader of the House should mention me in dispatches, and that he should remember an incident of 17 years ago when in seven years' time no one will remember him at all, is it in order for the Minister to make reference to another hon. Member without giving notice that he intends to do so? With your indulgence, Madam Speaker,...
Miss Joan Lestor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had on the resumption of the talks process concerning the future of Northern Ireland.
Miss Joan Lestor: Will the Secretary of State confirm that he will publish the proposals that he intends to present to the inter-party talks, so that there can be discussions on them in the House and beyond?
Miss Joan Lestor: My hon. Friend and I are neighbours in the north-west and were at the receiving end of the concern over the form that did not make it clear that the post office was an option. Judging from the petitions that I have received, hundreds of people have been panicked into opting for ACT because they thought that they had to. Does my hon. Friend agree that the Secretary of State should give those...
Miss Joan Lestor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of the South African Government following the murder of Chris Hani; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Joan Lestor: Following the distinguished and dignified address given by Mr. Nelson Mandela during his recent visit to this country, as well as the death of Chris Hani and the revelation of the alleged plots against other people involved in the constitutional process, will the Minister press on Mr. de Klerk and all others the urgent need to secure an early settlement in the constitutional discussions so...
Miss Joan Lestor: It is so long since I taught that I would not use that as a qualification for speaking in the debate. When one has been a Member for a long time, like the previous Secretary of State for Education, and has lived through arguments about setting, streaming, banding, comprehensive education and the great debate on education which was launched by the present Lord Callaghan, that is a...
Miss Joan Lestor: rose——
Miss Joan Lestor: Yes. The right hon. Lady came in late to this debate. [HON. MEMBERS: "You weren't here, either".] Oh, yes I was. [Interruption.]
Miss Joan Lestor: On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I believe that the Minister has to ask for the permission of the House to speak again. As a Member for the House, having been disgusted by the behaviour of those who have been on the Treasury Bench during the debate, I should like to deny the Minister the opportunity to speak again. If I may give you my reasons for this——