Mr Robin Squire: asked the Lord Privy Seal if, in the light of the growing number of Esperantists, he will direct the Overseas Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast in Esperanto.
Mr Robin Squire: While our desire to broadcast in our own language is understandable and laudable, will my hon. Friend recognise that many people will be disappointed by his answer? Is he aware that a growing number of countries, including China, as well as Radio Vatican, broadcast in Esperanto for the benefit of bringing people closer together.
Mr Robin Squire: Does my right hon. Friend accept that Government Members support his Department's determination to reduce investment in declining industry, but that they will expect the Department to look sympathetically at all investment in expanding industries, particularly when private industry has declined to take part?
Mr Robin Squire: During these discussions. will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the totality of local government expenditure, contrary to the publicity in recent years, has been, in the last four years ending 1979–80, less than the totality agreed at the date of the RSG discussions, and that this bears well and favourably on the reputation of local government?
Mr Robin Squire: I cannot comment on the case to which the hon. Member for Bootle (Mr. Roberts) has drawn attention, but I have sympathy with much of the new clause. Subsections (1A) and (1B) of section 228 make a lot of sense. Councillors are often the last to know of matters about which they should properly know. They cannot be defenders of the public if they do not have a full range of weapons to enable...
Mr Robin Squire: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Due to the speed with which these amendments have undoubtedly been prepared, may I point out that my name has inadvertently been attached to this amendment, while it is correctly detailed on many other amendments? I do not wish the House to be under any misunderstanding. I regret to disappoint Labour Members, but I feel sure that their disappointment...
Mr Robin Squire: I have listened with great interest to the hon. Gentleman. However, I am sure that he is talking about the wrong amendment. We are discussing the transitional provisions.
Mr Robin Squire: I beg to move amendment No. 106, in page 39, line 28, after the words last inserted, insert 'and take account of such factors as differences in levels of rateable values as between local authorities for otherwise comparable properties, or incomes of the people in a local authority area or the level of rate payments in an authority's area or by any method other than that specified in this section'.
Mr Robin Squire: After one or two false starts, most hon. Members will agree that we have reached the debate that best meets head on the provisions of the block grant. We can now discuss its implications for local authorities. Before looking at the amendment in detail, it is essential to remind those who did not have the privilege of reading or hearing the proceedings in Committee why many of us find the...
Mr Robin Squire: The hon. Member makes a valid point. I am sure that many hon. Members could think of a number of alternative ways in which that figure could be used or misused. There is also the question of unemployment figures. We do not know the unemployment figures borough by borough because the catchment area for unemployment consists of the appropriate offices and these overlap over local authority...
Mr Robin Squire: The natural charm of my right hon. Friend—much used during three months of Committee deliberations —has been well stretched tonight in a debate in which some nine or 10 speakers have rightly criticised the block grant system. None the less, I am sure that nobody would wish a repetition of the issues so far raised. I note the comments of my right hon. Friend on amendment No. 106, and,...
Mr Robin Squire: I beg to move amendment No. 117, in page 40, line 4, leave out '(a)'.
Mr Robin Squire: These are fairly small but very important amendments submitted by the Association of Metropolitan Authorities. They deal with the issue that came up briefly in our last debate, namely, that of multipliers. The clause speaks of multipliers as the way to adjust local authorities' block grant entitlements. The local authority associations consider that the use of multipliers is one of the...
Mr Robin Squire: I welcome the action taken by the Government in the previous amendments. I am sure of one thing, and one thing alone—that the House would not wish to have a major debate on multipliers at this stage. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Mr Robin Squire: asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has made to the Government of Japan concerning their non-tariff barriers to British exports.
Mr Robin Squire: I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that answer. Will he consider the tobacco industry, as there is a virtual monopoly in Japan covering both the import of tobacco and its distribution?
Mr Robin Squire: Will my hon. Friend confirm yet again that if SS20 missiles were not rolling off the assembly lines in Russia, aimed at Europe, at the rate of more than one a week, the question of cruise missiles for Britain would be academic?
Mr Robin Squire: Will my hon. Friend reconfirm that the sooner Greater London is treated in the same way as the rest of the country, and has one housing authority and one level of responsibility instead of two, the better it will be for all concerned? Many of us would consider that to be a substantial improvement.
Mr Robin Squire: I hope that the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Silverman), who is the Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee, will forgive me if I do not follow the same line as he did. However, I shall deal with the natural characteristic of countries to fight for their own corner in Europe. I shall examine several areas that are demonstrative of the reason why we are in Europe. They are areas that...
Mr Robin Squire: The hon. Gentleman will forgive me, since I do not have the details of the industry to which he referred. I certainly agree that it is the Government's duty to ensure that we are involved in fair and free trade. If we discover that our competitors are not involved in fair and free trade and our manufacturing industry is put at risk, I am sure that the Government will accept their...
