Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: We should not let the junior Minister get away with the complacency shown at the Dispatch Box today. Young people want full-time jobs. Young people want jobs with training. If those disgraceful figures that he has given to the House are combined with the fact that there are more than 100,000 young people at 16 in jobs with no training at all, that is a national disgrace. As the demographic...
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: rose—
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: I beg to move amendment No. 302, in page 50, line 17, at end insert— '(5) ln the event that a proposed licensing scheme relates to the grant of copyright licences in any class of case in respect of which copyright licences have not previously been granted, then the operator of the proposed licensing scheme shall refer the proposed licensing scheme to the Copyright Tribunal and shall not...
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: I shall say only a few brief words on amendment No. 302 and reserve amendment No. 303 on commitment to the Minister. I understand that the Minister has some sympathy with this matter, and that he will lend support to this moderate measure which is clearly designed to assist political and charitable working men's clubs for ex-service men and others dedicated to non-profit-making principles. I...
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. This evening I approached Mr. Speaker and I asked him whether I could use the phrase "cock-up" in this debate. Mr. Speaker is a member of the all-party non-profit making clubs association that I represent. He replied, "No, I do not think that it would be in order." The Minister has used those words, as has the Father of the House and the Liberal...
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: First, let me declare not a pecuniary interest, but an interest, in that I share with the hon. Member for Derby, North (Mr. Knight) the joint chairmanship of the all-party association of non-profit-making clubs, which, I am proud to say, represents 181 Members of Parliament and nine Members of the other place. At the beginning of the debate, we saw a classic illustration of a Minister coming...
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: I am coming to that. My hon. Friend is a notable Labour club leader and will speak for himself on that. We do not publicly cross domains.
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: At the end of my speech, I shall be posing to the Minister a question that will be relevant to that point.
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: I shall not. That would be the third intervention from the hon. Gentleman this evening, and the Government are responsible for their legislation. He should wait to make his own speech. I can illustrate the cant and hypocrisy of the Minister in the other place, who clearly stated: I am bound to say that I have a sneaking sympathy because the whole philosophy behind this Bill is that it should...
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: That is the essence of the working classes of the day. The great Earl of Rosebery was a patron. Starting with the clerics, it was meant to bridle, inhibit and restrain working-class people from enjoying some of the fruits of their production. Eventually, the coin was reversed. That is what we call democratic evolution, and it has worked extremely well. The association, of which I am proud to...
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: Will the Minister give way?
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: The Minister is attempting to quantify and qualify a principle. Will he now tell the House that clubs are permitted to open only for five and a half hours on a Sunday, compared with pubs, which are allowed to open for six and a half hours? There is a clear anomaly of one hour which discriminates against clubs. Will the Minister give the House a straight answer?
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest total of representations received by him in respect of his proposals for a community charge in England; what proportion was in favour; and what proportion was against.
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: Will the Minister confirm that as recently as last week he told constituents of mine in Lancashire and Yorkshire that his poll tax would increase their family bills by about 15 per cent.? Will he further confirm that that applies especially in the townships of Wigan and Leigh, and especially to those owner-occupiers in lower-priced properties?
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been spent on regional development grants in England so far in 1986–87; what he expects to spend in 1987–88; and if he will provide figures for the north-west.
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: I acknowledge those figures — one is always grateful for small mercies under this Government—but is the Minister aware that the north-west region still has the second highest number of unemployed in Britain outside the south-east and London, and that far more money is necessary to get greater financial investment moving in that area and to create safer and more secure jobs? Is he further...
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the provision of resources for the purchasing of books in primary and secondary schools.
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: Is the Minister aware that the amount of money spent on textbooks and library books in the Wigan education authority is 17·2 per cent. down for the current financial year on the 1979 figure? Is he further aware that at one time the cost was £5·19 per pupil, but that it is now £4·30 per pupil? Is the Minister proud of that? Is it not a standing disgrace that, in real terms, the...
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: rose in his place and claimed to move, That the Question be now put.
Mr Lawrence Cunliffe: I oppose the Bill this evening. First, I must declare an interest in that that I am president of the miners' parliamentary group and a member of the national executive of the NUM, and from time to time I am the Labour party's Whip on energy matters. I can say, without fear of contradiction, that many of those who have participated in the debate this evening have done so because they have an...
