Mr Gwilym Roberts: Would not my hon. Friend agree that the reason why hon. Gentleman opposite have no concept of this problem is that this is basically a working-class one, and they have no concept of the working classes?
Mr Gwilym Roberts: But is my right hon. Friend aware that in the Bedfordshire area waiting lists have actually had to be closed and, what is more, in Luton and Dunstable a very high proportion of the public boxes are out of action? What urgent steps are being taken to remedy the situation?
Mr Gwilym Roberts: Is my right hon. Friend aware that a combination of the old and the new type of telephone equipment is more resistant to vandalism?
Mr Gwilym Roberts: I welcome this move towards police efficiency, but as my right hon. Friend knows—
Mr Gwilym Roberts: Will my right hon. Friend ensure that when these amalgamations take place county boroughs whose police forces disappear are adequately represented in the control of the new amalgamated forces?
Mr Gwilym Roberts: I know that one or two of my right hon. and hon. Friends wish to speak, so, contrary to the habits of my fellow countrymen, I shall be extremely brief. An hon. Member opposite said that this debate reminded him of Alice in Wonderland. We have had a picture of a make-believe world from some right hon. and hon. Members opposite. There has been talk of a junior civil servant lending £250...
Mr Gwilym Roberts: It is difficult to calculate the figures for this and while it is probably a doubtful estimate, I suggest that the relative improvement will be about 2 per cent. to 4 per cent. in the non-development districts compared with the more favoured parts of the country from the point of view of these allowances. As someone who was born and bred in what is now a development district, I appreciate...
Mr Gwilym Roberts: I certainly did not suggest that my Front Bench should throw out the Bill. I welcome the Bill as probably one of the most considerable steps that have been taken to further the modernisation of British industry. Personally, I do not regard profitability as the only criterion by which industry should be judged.
Mr Gwilym Roberts: Or of monopoly.
Mr Gwilym Roberts: I understand that it is the custom for maiden speakers to be non-controversial. I am not quite sure that I can maintain that tradition, although at this stage I shall not try to answer some of the economic arguments put forward from the other side. What I want to talk about is the very real measures in the Budget, which are designed to stimulate economic growth and productivity. As the first...
Mr Gwilym Roberts: I am sorry to interrupt. I wished to suggest that the same automated processes can be applied to administration. Therefore, the application of automation processes should go hand in hand not only on the production side, but also in administration and, therefore, the proportion should not materially change in this respect as between production and administration.