Mr Norman Atkinson: Is not the Chancellor's dilemma about whether to have a public inquiry into all aspects of the matter dominated by his desire to protect the reputations of leading personalities in the City and of some ex-hon. Members and current hon. Members?
Mr Norman Atkinson: asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs he estimates would be created by an across-the-board 10 per cent. reduction in wages; and if he will indicate those sections of the economy which would respond most to such a policy.
Mr Norman Atkinson: Does the Chancellor recollect that on 30 November he proposed the idea that a 1 per cent. reduction in wages would produce 200,000 jobs? Since then, most industrial analysts have said that it is deceitful gibberish to present such ideas when there is not one scrap of evidence to associate reduced wages with job creation? Will the right hon. Gentleman now stop this deceitful performance and...
Mr Norman Atkinson: Will the Minister reconsider that answer, as it must contradict the Government's main purpose for maintaining nuclear weapons? The House has often heard the Government explain that their justification for having nuclear weapons is their deterrent value. If weapons in space are successfully developed with a view to finding a satisfactory defence against nuclear weapons, will that not minimise...
Mr Norman Atkinson: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Is it not fictitious to ask what would happen to EC questions if foreign affairs questions took up all the time? Should not EEC questions take their chance along with all other foreign affairs questions that are addressed to the Foreign Office? If it is looked upon in that way and if you yourself, were to support the protests that have been made about only...
Mr Norman Atkinson: rose—
Mr Norman Atkinson: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.
Mr Norman Atkinson: I have never been known to abuse either you, Mr. Speaker. or the rules of the House. If I wished to do that, I should appeal to the Minister not to let his own Back Benchers intervene so often. The right hon. Member for South Down (Mr. Powell) could then get up and deny the challenge being made to his sanity, as he designed the rules. I ask for your protection, Mr. Speaker, in raising this...
Mr Norman Atkinson: What sort of decadent morality is it for the Chancellor to reiterate his commitment to reduce taxation when he knows that the poor are getting poorer and the rich richer? He knows that unemployment will remain the same in 1985 and 1986, and probably into 1987. How does he square his recent statements about reducing unemployment with the distribution of the £1·5 billion which he has...
Mr Norman Atkinson: asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to extend his restrictions on the borrowing requirement of local authorities to those private companies now contracting for local authority work.
Mr Norman Atkinson: Does the Minister recollect a circular issued by his Department advising local authorities that investment in contractors' plant and machinery is inflationary and therefore should be cut? Why then is investment in contractors' plant and machinery in private undertakings deflationary?
Mr Norman Atkinson: If the average increase in spend of all authorities since 1979 has been 92 per cent., and the London borough of Haringey has increased its spend by 88 per cent. on what basis does the right hon. Gentleman justify rate capping that authority? If he again uses the argument about increased manpower in that authority, how does he square it with the Home Secretary's recent boast about the...
Mr Norman Atkinson: According to the Prime Minister's earlier answers, she insists on absolute commercial viability for the coal industry. On what morality or criteria does she totally reject her responsibility for the social viability of that industry?
Mr Norman Atkinson: asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will define the relationship between money supply and the rate of inflation.
Mr Norman Atkinson: If money supply reflects the level of demand and both the Chancellor and the Treasury are now saying that inflation is not demand led, but is indeed wage pushed, is not money supply, in the opinion of the Chancellor, merely a barometer? Surely the Chancellor himself does not believe that by adjusting the barometer he can change the weather.
Mr Norman Atkinson: If the Foreign Secretary wishes the House to consider as sincere his effort to build bridges, should he not first dissociate himself from the Prime Minister's remarks made on four occasions in the past 12 months that the Soviet Union is an evil and vile society and that the Soviet leaders such as Mr. Chernenko and Mr. Gromyko are thoroughly untrustworthy? Is it not time that the Foreign...
Mr Norman Atkinson: The House will agree that this is not the occasion to discuss the details of the incident. However, will the Home Secretary confirm in clear terms that the criterion by which guns are issued to police officers is the protection of life, not the protection of property? The Home Secretary said that the two officers were members of the robbery squad. Will he tell the House whether it is normal...
Mr Norman Atkinson: Will the Chancellor of the Exchequer reconsider the answer that he has just given, as it flies in the face of general economic opinion that there is no relationship at all between the money supply and the level of prices? If the right hon. Gentleman disagrees with the overwhelming majority of economic opinion, can he explain what the relationship is?
Mr Norman Atkinson: In regard to the economic declaration, does the Prime Minister recall that on two or three occasions recently she has assured the House that it is not the Government's intention to initiate any new moves on industrial training or job creation? Why then did she not propose to issue a minority statement, following the declaration, unless this new statement indicates a fundamental change in...
Mr Norman Atkinson: asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 June.