MONDAY 28 JANUARY—Debate on East-West relations and the Crisis in South-West Asia, on a motion for the Adjournment of the House.

We covered a number of topics, including the Crisis in South-West Asia created by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

The Prime Minister: I accept that there is a grave North-South Crisis and that part of that crisis is attributable to the sharp increase in the price of oil, which has gone up more than tenfold over the last eight years.

It would be good to know that the Government have coherent and achievable plans to meet what is becoming a major Crisis in the South of England.

Although I appreciate that my right hon. Friend's immediate thoughts are with the Crisis in the South and in the midlands, does he accept that in the longer term he and his colleagues should look into trying to stop potential lasting damage to local economies?

There is now a great economic Crisis in the South of Ireland, and that is bad news for us in Northern Ireland and in the United Kingdom.

What steps can my hon. Friend the Minister take to do his best to protect the Northern Ireland economy from the worst effects of the financial Crisis in the South?