Mr Arthur Newens: Does not the right hon. and learned Gentleman agree that the dismal economic climate and the low level of demand brought about by the Government's economic policy has made matters infinitely more difficult for British industry in facing international competition?
Mr Arthur Newens: Has the right hon. Lady approved the involvement of British banks in raising loans for Argentina, especially when Argentina's indebtedness was partly due to the purchase of arms that were used against our people in the Falklands? If she does approve of it, does this position accord with the stand that she took in the House yesterday?
Mr Arthur Newens: With British banks.
Mr Arthur Newens: asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for the central collection, under different headings designed to show the reason for the inability, of the numbers of former council house tenants who purchase council houses but are unable to meet mortgage repayments.
Mr Arthur Newens: Is it reasonable to conclude from that answer that, for political reasons, the Minister is anxious to conceal the number of former council tenants who are unable to maintain their mortgage repayments because of break-up of marriage, injury at work, unemployment, separation and other factors, and are faced with homelessness because the council cannot rehouse them? What advice does he give to...
Mr Arthur Newens: Will the Minister state clearly what assistance he will give to local authorities if they take over assets that are disposed of by the Commission for the New Towns when that is wound up—especially car parks and other assets that lose money? Will he make a better arrangement than that which he made for the houses affected by design defects, when he refused fully to honour promises made in...
Mr Arthur Newens: I agree with the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Sir J. Biggs-Davison) that we should learn a lesson from what occurred in the Falklands last year. Right hon. and hon. Members on both sides of the House have given their impressions of the lessons that should be learnt from the Franks report. When I read the report, I was struck by the parallels and similarities with the diplomatic and...
Mr Arthur Newens: This brings me to a vital point that is not dealt with in the Franks report. Throughout this period no attempt was made to limit the supply to Argentina of arms that could be used for the invasion of the Falklands. On the contrary, British arms manufacturers vigorously sought contracts. I have been opposed to arms supplies, and hon. Members will have heard me voice my objections on many...
Mr Arthur Newens: President Carter's decision to ban arms supplies did not lead to any move in Europe to do likewise. Instead there was a rush to take advantage of the opportunities that would thereby arise to gain contracts. The Prime Minister argued that the sending of one or two ships just before the invasion would have exposed them to an appalling threat, but that threat was fuelled by the supply of arms...
Mr Arthur Newens: asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make additional resources available to enable education authorities to maintain the quality of education and choice of subject in schools in which staffing numbers are significantly reduced as the result of a fall in the school roll.
Mr Arthur Newens: Yes, but does the right hon. Gentleman not recognise that falling school rolls result in a reduction in the number of classes regarded as viable for minority subjects, which may reduce the number of those classes below the level at which the employment of a teacher for such minority subjects is justified? Is it not essential, therefore, that some guidance should be given to remove the lower...
Mr Arthur Newens: What will occur if an investigation shows that the building is apparently in a reasonable state of repair but something happens 10 years later that brings a structural defect to light? Is the hon. Gentleman saying that there will be no limit on the claim for grant? I hope that he is.
Mr Arthur Newens: The order has been eagerly awaited by Airey house owners in my constituency. Ever since they first discovered that their houses could be subject to serious defects they have experienced considerable worry. I am anxious that the order should be implemented as soon as possible. There are a number of Airey houses in Harlow and adjacent areas, but in only a few of them is there any evidence of...
Mr Arthur Newens: I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his support. I am aware from his speech that in his constituency he has met many of the problems that I have met in mine. I fear that, although we are discussing what appears to be a comparatively limited problem tonight, the problem of Airey houses is likely to be repeated in many other system-built houses over the years. In those circumstances, the...
Mr Arthur Newens: Does the right hon. Gentleman accept that the support given to horticulture in Britain compares unfavourably with that given in the Netherlands? His recent decision to wind up the Land Settlement Association in a cavalier manner represents an attitude towards horticulture that does not place sufficient importance on such an important sector of our economy. Does the right hon. Gentleman...
Mr Arthur Newens: Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the conditions that apply on the particular estate with which he is concerned are not necessarily the same as those that apply on the other nine estates, and that some of the feelings that he has found among his tenants exist in much greater measure elsewhere?
Mr Arthur Newens: And humane.
Mr Arthur Newens: I am grateful to the Minister for what he said about the usefulness of this debate, but I am disappointed with his reply. As he rightly said, although I am opposed to the idea of selling the smallholdings to the tenants, because I believe that it will prevent new people from becoming small farmers in the way that they did in the past, I did not make that point strongly on this occasion...
Mr Arthur Newens: I am sure that the central council can work quickly, and I have praised its work in the past. However, I am worried that some of the growers may not get the necessary capital backing that they need to form the new co-operatives which are necessary in the brief time that is available. It is true that the growers who are represented by the hon. Member for Chichester may be in a position to go...
Mr Arthur Newens: I thank the Minister for saying that he will look into the matter further. However, as I understand it, the Ministry has guaranteed some of the loans. I think that there is no doubt about it. I see the hon. Member for Chichester nodding in agreement. In these circumstances, the withdrawal of the guarantee is very damaging. When I moved the amendment, I quoted a statement which came from the...