Mr Thomas Torney: Before I begin my speech I should like to dispel the feeling that seems to be abroad, through interventions and what the Minister said, that the Labour party in government would not sponsor agriculture, support it or want to see an increase in agricultural production. That is an absolute fallacy. I want to kill the suggestion once and for all. We would still be prepared to put in taxpayers'...
Mr Thomas Torney: I agree entirely with my hon. Friend. I tried to emphasise that danger when I quoted the figures. As the previous Minister for Agriculture told us many times, food is meant for eating. We should look after the farmer by all means, but we should sell surpluses to our people cheaply. That is the way to get rid of surpluses. Today the CAP is as bad as it was when we entered the Common Market....
Mr Thomas Torney: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many British people would like to buy British bacon, but one problem is finding it in the shops? Will he take steps to persuade large multiple retailers to stock and sell British bacon in their shops?
Mr Thomas Torney: Is the Minister aware that in poultry slaughter houses birds go round on a belt and, before they are dead, are dropped into boiling water, which causes undue suffering? Will she either introduce legislation or do something to stop it?
Mr Thomas Torney: asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the shortfall of manpower in the state veterinary service, if he is satisfied that resources are sufficient to implement the disease control programme for Aujeszky's disease.
Mr Thomas Torney: How will the Minister ensure that farm animal welfare in general—[HON. MEMBERS: "Reading".]—and the revised codes for cattle, and especially pigs, will be implemented without the establishment of separate veterinary services independent of the services already in existence for disease and investigation?
Mr Thomas Torney: I agree with much of what the Minister has said, particularly in defence of doorstep deliveries. I remind him of the employment situation in the doorstep delivery service. If we lose or weaken our doorstep delivery service, we shall add substantially to the almost 4 million unemployed people in this country. What will the Government and the Minister do ultimately to ensure that we keep our...
Mr Thomas Torney: First, I must declare an interest. I am sponsored by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, which has a real interest in and anxiety about the Bill. I listened carefully to the Minister a short time ago and when he told us that the Government were neutral I began to feel a little pleased. However, as his speech advanced he also advanced a new concept of neutrality that I had...
Mr Thomas Torney: The hon. Gentleman is right and has scored a useful debating point. However, the point that I was making was admirably taken by the House and if the hon. Gentleman did not understand it I am sure that all the other right hon. and hon. Members did. It has been claimed that it is necessary for shops to open on Sundays. I do not believe that Sainsburys would not want to open on Sundays if it...
Mr Thomas Torney: I was coming to that point. All the letters that I have received asking me to vote against the Bill have been from individuals or from organisations such as the CBI, trade associations, the Retail Consortium and so on. I confirm what my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Golding) said. I have had letters against the Bill from small shopkeepers in Bradford. They are not...
Mr Thomas Torney: I am sorry. I shall not give way because of the time and the number of others who wish to speak. If the Bill is roundly defeated, as I fervently hope that it will be, I ask the Minister to plead with the Secretary of State to have a public inquiry, an independent inquiry, a Government sponsored inquiry, a Royal Commission or a Select Committee to examine the problem from all sides—from the...
Mr Thomas Torney: rose—
Mr Thomas Torney: rose—
Mr Thomas Torney: Would not the Minister agree that he is treading on very dangerous ground. As I understand what he has been saying, it is that if the law cannot be enforced the law should be changed. If that is applied to law other than to shops law it is clear that the police will have an impossible job trying to enforce the seat belts law. They already have a terrible job enforcing the Road Traffic Act....
Mr Thomas Torney: Too small an element.
Mr Thomas Torney: Has the Minister taken into account the fact that Northern View, where some of these patients will be transferred, is recognised as a slum? It is much worse than Thornton View hospital and is also a fire risk. Remember that some of these unfortunate geriatric people will be taken there.
Mr Thomas Torney: But Northern View is.
Mr Thomas Torney: I was called by BBC local radio this morning to say something about this Adjournment debate that I have secured. The BBC asked me why I did not wish to see the closure of Thornton View hospital, in my constituency. I said that the first reason was that I disagreed with the closure. The second important reason was that many of my loyal constituents have protested to me that the hospital should...
Mr Thomas Torney: I am pleased that the Minister has dug his heels in over New Zealand butter and farm prices, but does he agree that there is no long-term solution for the common agricultural policy problems while we remain members of the Common Market? Does he agree that the real solution to the problem is to get out of the Common Market?
Mr Thomas Torney: I appreciate the Minister's assurance about New Zealand butter, but is he aware of the problems that New Zealand faces due to the unloading of surplus EC stocks, to which Britain has made no contribution, on the world market? Does he recognise that the unloading of these surpluses has led to New Zealand facing difficulties in selling its butter on the world market? Will he ensure that the...