Draft Legislative Programme

The answers to the right hon. Gentleman’s three questions are: first, we will deal with the problems that are facing those who have lost their pensions as a result of their companies collapsing. We have instructed a review of the assets of bankrupt companies and their pension funds, and we believe that we will be able to move the 80 per cent. guarantee that we have given further towards to 90 per cent. We will make an announcement very soon. On the second issue of A and E, I say to the right hon. Gentleman exactly what I said to him at Prime Minister’s questions: all seven reconfigurations have been referred to the medical committee, which will review them on medical and surgical grounds. I would have thought that he would be gracious enough to support that move. On his third question, on the European referendum, I think that he should listen to some other voices in his own party. The debate within his own party is raging at the moment, with Lord Heseltine saying that, as a result of our achieving our red lines in the negotiations, if we can secure the amending treaty, there is no case for a referendum. Perhaps, in the spirit of consultation, the right hon. Gentleman should consult his own party on these matters. On housing, we have just raised the level of house building commitment to 240,000 houses a year. We have just released a lot of public sector land, and announced that 500 more sites are being examined with a view to releasing land for housing. At the same time, we are creating the new homes agency to bring together all the agencies that can help. I am disappointed, therefore, that the right hon. Gentleman says that there is nothing in that for the Conservative party. The reason there is nothing in it for the Conservative party in that the shadow housing Minister has said that"““you cannot build your way out of housing problems.””" The leader of the Conservative party has something to answer for, too. He told the Conservative party conference, when he was trying to speak to young people:"““If we are to be the party of aspiration…that means building more houses and flats for young people.””" He then spoke to Age Concern, the pensioners organisation, and said that his policy was"““fewer homes designed for young single people.””" I hope that the Conservative party will find a way to support many of the measures that we propose. There was general agreement in this House about some of the measures in the constitutional reform Bill. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will support us on the counter-terrorism Bill. Employers and trade unions have agreed on the employment simplification Bill. I believe that there is a growing consensus about what we have to do on human tissues and embryos. I hope that on the unclaimed assets Bill, which gives money to youth services, we will not find a reluctant Conservative party unwilling to support it. I hesitate to think what a Conservative Queen’s Speech would look like in the present circumstances. ““No more grammar schools”” was a policy that was publicised one week, but abandoned the next; then there were to be museum charges—publicised one week, abandoned the next; then there was to be VAT on airline flights—publicised one week, abandoned the next; and then, this week, there were to be taxes on alcohol—said on Monday, abandoned by Tuesday. Then, of course, the shadow education Secretary, who led the clause 4 moment on grammar schools, was himself abandoned by the Conservative leader. It is U-turn after U-turn after U-turn in the Conservative party. The Conservative leader may U-turn if he wants; it is clear that the Conservative party is not for turning.