Mr James Dunn: The hon. Member for Bebington and Ellesmere Port (Mr. Porter) and I have a friendly relationship, but it would be stretching it too far if I were to accept what he says as the reason for the redundancies. In the end, 1,500 jobs will disappear. For whatever reason, that is unjustified and unacceptable, particularly bearing in mind the large investment that was made in the region at the...
Mr James Dunn: My hon. Friend makes a telling point. I thank him for informing us of what is happening. It is only one instance of the transfer of activity from one region to another. It clearly shows the absence of a Government regional policy. There should be overall control and supervision of these matters. Notice should be taken when investment is made in one region, then dismantled and transferred...
Mr James Dunn: I hope that you will forgive me, Mr. Speaker. In my part of the world we use "you" in an affectionate way, meaning almost everyone. It was not particularly directed at you. I would certainly never fire at you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr James Dunn: There is no answer to that. I come back to the litany of closures and redundancies that I mentioned. The Burmah Oil Company is not the only company involved. On my side of the river, there is much doubt, anxiety and concern about BICC at St. Helens. Even more redundancies are forecast, unless the Government carry out further electrification of British Rail main lines. That would make good...
Mr James Dunn: I confirm what my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Scotland Exchange (Mr. Parry) says. The printing industry is being affected, as is the paper industry. I shall mention a number of associated industries, too. I come back to what I was saying about the docks. The employment opportunities that will disappear for ever are a consequence of the closure of large areas of Liverpool and Bootle...
Mr James Dunn: My hon. Friend is right. Regrettably, I can confirm that 1,000 are unemployed in the building and construction industry in Kirkby. The Manpower Services Commission made a recent announcement that it was trying to examine the unemployment statistics, and said that that exercise would provided some employment. However, no employment took place. Instead, it transferred people sideways so that...
Mr James Dunn: My hon. Friend is correct. Unemployment in, Ormskirk stands at 17·8 per cent., with 5,488 unemployed. I regret that my hon. Friend has a higher league standing than Liverpool. If it is regrettable for Liverpool; it must be even more so for Ormskirk. I could continue with my list and mention Birkenhead, Widnes and Warrington—which is attracting attention at present. Even there unemployment...
Mr James Dunn: My right hon. Friend has rightly drawn my attention to that point. I had intended to bring it to the attention of the House later in my speech. Many female part-time workers do not register as unemployed when they lose their jobs through redundancy or closure. They often lose their jobs through no fault of their own. They are not included in the statistics, although their unemployment has...
Mr James Dunn: The hon. Gentleman is as selective as I am. It all depends on the base from which one starts. I said that I usually discounted the impact and influence of statistics. Evidently the hon. Gentleman relies upon them. I was making a general observation. I hope that he will take my comments in that spirit. I was not dealing in chapter and verse. If I were, it would be even worse, because last year...
Mr James Dunn: I join those hon. Members who have expressed regret and sent best wishes to those who have been injured. I also express anxiety and concern at the terms of the right hon. Gentleman's statement. We have been told that two solicitors and a solicitor's clerk have been arrested, but we have not been informed whether any charge has been made against them. This is most unusual. If any statement...
Mr James Dunn: Is the Secretary of State aware that, although some of us share his apprehension about what has happened, we hold his Department partly responsible because when a clearance order for demolition is submitted it must always have his Department's permission? Can the Secretary of State assure the House that when planning matters are being considered every effort will be made to ensure the...
Mr James Dunn: Before congratulating the hon. Member for Hove (Mr. Sainsbury) on reaching this height of attainment, I must say that I regret that there has been some reference to party political philosophies. When I contributed to the proceedings on the Bill, I had no thought of any party political mantle, and I am sorry that some have sought, however lightly to introduce it in. I do not accept that...
Mr James Dunn: The hon. Gentleman would be wise to reach an accommodation on the amendment before the Minister gives advice. If the Minister, for an adequate and good official reason, advises against the amendment, the further proceedings of the Bill may be in severe jeopardy, which I want to avoid at all costs. If later advice is not to accept the amendment, the matter can be changed in another place, but...
Mr James Dunn: I am attracted by the statements made by the hon. Member for Essex, South-East (Sir B. Braine), who moved the amendment, but I am also much aware that my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Dulwich (Mr. Silkin) has drawn the attention of the House to the fact that the amendment, in one sense, would be contrary to the general practice of the House and might even amount to an...
Mr James Dunn: My right hon. and learned Friend will forgive me if I do not share completely his interpretation as he presents it. I acknowledge his skill and expertise, but I do not grant him the absolution of being always right. I have my grave doubts. It would be dangerous to adopt the amendment suggested by my right hon. and learned Friend. I hope that the sponsor will indicate his opposition to it....
Mr James Dunn: Will the Minister review whether it is necessary to carry on licensing airguns, because they produce confusing statistics and the result is not always to the advantage of the Province? Will he also standardise the side arms that are issued to the security forces and make them all of the one calibre?
Mr James Dunn: Will the Minister take the opportunity not only to explore the potential for the supply of natural gas from Southern Ireland but to ascertain whether a feasibility study would reveal some potential for the supply of natural gas from the North Sea, the Irish Sea or from the coast of Scotland? Does he agree that, at the end of the day, a dependency on one form of energy is not necessarily an...
Mr James Dunn: Will the Secretary of State reconsider his decision to merge the Department of the Civil Service and the Department of Finance, because there will not necessarily be any advantage if that is done? At the end of the day, there are problems of enrolment into the Civil Service that cannot be dealt with through the Department of Finance. I urge the Secretary of State to reconsider his decision.
Mr James Dunn: Will the Leader of the House ask his right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to make a statement on unemployment consequential on her meeting, in Neston tomorrow, the Conservative leader of the Merseyside county council? Will he also ask her, when she makes that statement, to explain why she held that meeting and refused to meet the leaders of the religious organisations and all the political...
Mr James Dunn: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the supplementary question of my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Eastham) related to value added tax? What portion of VAT could be lifted from the shoulders of those in the lower income groups, including pensioners?