Mr Hilary Miller: rose—
Mr Hilary Miller: Although I agree with much of what I think that my hon. Friend is aiming for in the last part of his speech, I must point out that it was only because of the voluntary restraint agreement—negotiated under Government auspices, let us make no mistake about that —between British and Japanese manufacturers that he and my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, South (Mrs. Curry) are about to...
Mr Hilary Miller: I said that Treasury officials have speciously seized on luxury rates of tax for larger cars. For volume cars in the middle range the taxation is demonstrably factually much higher in this country.
Mr Hilary Miller: rose—
Mr Hilary Miller: Because the efficiency and economy of diesel are so much greater, the environmental advantage of emissions is about 20 per cent., quite apart from the carbon consumption.
Mr Hilary Miller: It gives me great pleasure to second the new clause so ably moved by my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. King). Indeed, we consulted on its terms. I have previously described the Budget as an unhelpful and unpleasant surprise for the motor industry—unhelpful in that the industry was singled out for additional taxation, whether through national insurance contributions...
Mr Hilary Miller: In America, where speed limits are lower than in this country, people still buy large cars.
Mr Hilary Miller: Will my hon. Friend give way?.
Mr Hilary Miller: The parrot cries of energy efficiency from the Opposition Benches remind me irresistibly of the war cry of the Wilson Government—the white heat of technical revolution that was going to save their bacon in 1969 and 1970. It creates a wonderful picture of the Labour party being as credible as double-glazing salesmen. I refer to the contribution that the motor industry wishes to make to...
Mr Hilary Miller: Does my hon. Friend agree that we need only to look to eastern Europe to see what socialism does to the environment?
Mr Hilary Miller: I was at that meeting. The Robert Bosch Ltd. representatives were referring to the standards of the MOT test. The Minister was talking about the initiative taken by our Government in setting EEC standards. The Robert Bosch representatives said that there is still some uncertainty, leading up to the introduction of full EEC standards, whether the MOT test should initially be a two-gas or a...
Mr Hilary Miller: Will my right hon. Friend comment on the performance of the motor industry which on the latest figures is exporting 49 per cent. of production with totally beneficial results for the balance of payments on manufactured goods, about which we hear so much from the Opposition? That trend is likely to improve further when American and Japanese investments come on stream.
Mr Hilary Miller: Does the Minister accept that for inward investment in this country to be brought to a successful conclusion, it is essential that the industry's products are freely traded throughout the Community? Can he assure us that that is accepted by the Commission and by the member states?
Mr Hilary Miller: The industry is a success.
Mr Hilary Miller: The speeches from the Opposition Benches—in this respect, outstandingly introduced by the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown)—have demonstrated intellectual arrogance that is absolutely breathtaking and delight in the difficulties of this country that is deeply depressing. Opposition Members have once again demonstrated dramatically that they have learnt nothing and have...
Mr Hilary Miller: Those are British jobs. It is interesting that the hon. Member for Durham, North (Mr. Radice), who comes from the north-east, should object to inward investment, which has provided jobs and quality and has resulted in exports from the area. It was interesting to hear my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry say that he did not believe in different tax regimes for...
Mr Hilary Miller: Thank you for calling me, Mr. Deputy Speaker, on a subject which is of great importance to my constituency. I regret that I cannot follow the arguments of the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Michie) about development corporations. In my experience, they were introduced only when a local authority was unwilling to allow development of any description, or in some cases when an authority...
Mr Hilary Miller: No. I do not have time to give way. I shall come to the hon. Gentleman's comments about hardcore in a minute. I welcome the Bill's provisions on compensation, but I couple that with the caveat of my right hon. Friend the Member for Tonbridge and Mailing (Sir J. Stanley), who undershot when he talked about blight lasting for five years, as 15 is commonplace in the case of motorway...
Mr Hilary Miller: Yes, heliports are the latest problem, as available planning controls seem to be inadequate. One of the problems involves the amount of time that people are allowed to carry on activities before any interdiction can be brought. In that context, one thinks of Sunday markets or the stationing of caravans, which are difficult to control as sometimes they only have to move a few yards to evade...
Mr Hilary Miller: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 14 February.