Mr Edward Milne: Does the Foreign Secretary recollect that in an earlier statement on this subject he made clear that in the event of failure to secure the renegotiation terms that Britain had asked for the question of withdrawal from the Community would be on the agenda? Will that question be included in any referendum or in any discussion or consultation with the British people prior to their decision? The...
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a circular to local authorities advising councils to extend membership of committees covering new towns and special areas to councillors representing the towns and areas in question.
Mr Edward Milne: Is my right hon. Friend aware that that is a rather disappointing reply, because in my constituency we are dealing with a new town that is not designated under the New Towns Act? Because of the emergence of the new authorities, it means that democratically-elected representatives in that new town are prevented from taking part in discussions on the town's development.
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Prime Minister if he will now make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's proposals in regard to the report of the Committee on Conduct in Local Government chaired by Lord Redcliffe-Maud in connection with the recommendations that can be implemented at once.
Mr Edward Milne: May I thank the Prime Minister for that excellent report? Will he have a special look at the section in the Redcliffe-Maud recommendations that deals with the question of local authority party groups and the fact that their code of conduct should be no less strict than the code of the authority?
Mr Edward Milne: Will the Leader of the House undertake to arrange an early debate on the Report of the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries dealing with purchasing procedures in the National Coal Board, if not next week certainly before the recess?
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Prime Minister if he will set up a tribunal of inquiry to examine the cases of corruption arising from the Poulson trial and associated matters.
Mr Edward Milne: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a Royal Commission does not go far enough and that a tribunal of inquiry under the 1921 Act is imperative in the light of recent court decisions? Is he aware, further, that those of us in the North-East find his reply disappointing, especially as it comes from one of our colleagues in that area? Does he recollect that Mr. Justice Waller at Leeds Crown...
Mr Edward Milne: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the highly unsatisfactory nature of those replies, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest possible opportunity.
Mr Edward Milne: Before my right hon. Friend leaves the Commonwealth—
Mr Edward Milne: My right hon. Friend has made precisely the point about which I wanted to ask him. If it is possible to renegotiate with the Community in the way that he has outlined, despite the changes in Commonwealth trading arrangements, it is equally possible surely to renegotiate these matters with the Commonwealth. The purpose of renegotiation is on that basis.
Mr Edward Milne: Is not the Prime Minister aware that he is wrong when he says that no protests have been made about the question of speculation on land reclamation? Many of us in areas affected by pit closures have repeatedly brought speculation in this particular sector to the attention of the right hon. Gentleman and previous administrations. Is the Prime Minister aware that we commend the speed with...
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Shildon, County Durham.
Mr Edward Milne: Does the Prime Minister recollect that in a strongly worded speech in July last year he called for the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the Poulson affair in Shildon, County Durham? Will he look at this matter again, since the Redcliffe-Maud Committee deals only with the local government side of this problem and we want the Civil Service and parliamentary side of it to be...
Mr Edward Milne: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his statement adds a new dimension to the speech he made recently in the House and that renegotiation means a serious attempt to get the terms which Britain wants, and that if the terms are not available the question of withdrawal is also on the agenda?
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he proposes to take on the report on school transport and bus travel arrangements.
Mr Edward Milne: Is my right hon. Friend aware that in some parts of the country the question of distance in respect of school travel is not the real problem? Is he aware that the issue in new towns such as Cramlington and other areas in my constituency is that youngsters have to cross two main motorways to reach school, although they are only a short distance from school? Does not my right hon. Friend agree...
Mr Edward Milne: Is my hon. Friend aware that that is the type of answer we have had from the Front Bench by successive Governments and that his answer does not go nearly far enough? Does he realise that the time has now arrived for the Government to look for a solution of the problem with a view to introducing legislation?
Mr Edward Milne: The hon. Member for Southampton, Test (Mr. Hill) has raised the question of the replacement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer before the next Budget. The debate and the Budget itself have suffered to some extent from the fact that we are only some four weeks away from the clash and clamour of the General Election which produced, for the first time in many years, a minority Government in...
Mr Edward Milne: I welcome that intervention. While the hon. Gentleman did not mention renegotiation specifically, he cannot complain if I deal with it in reply to points which he raised. He will recollect that he took from the Chancellor's speech the fact that we were paying £210 million to Europe and receiving in return only about £120 million. But he struck at the core of the issue when he said, in...