Goodbye Norman ... hello David
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NORMAN FOWLER got his expected reward from Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher this week when she moved him to become Social Services Secretary. Energy Secretary David Howell is the new Transport Secretary.
Mr Fowler, a former journalist, and Conservative transport spokesman from 1976, when he was moved from the Opposition social services slot, has earned himself favour with the Conservative leadership by pursuing privatisation and public purse saving policies since the Government took office in 1979.
For Mr Howell, his sideways move is seen by some as demotion in all but name, but nevertheless he will be faced with the challenge of what action to take over the Armitage Report and over Mr Fowler's widely criticised proposals to sell the heavy goods vehicle test stations to the private sector.
The new Transport Secretary, at 45 two years older than Mr Fowler, has been MP for Guildford for 15 years, and has longer ministerial experience than his predecessor. In current parlance,
he is also believed to be "drier' than Mr Fowler, thus suggestinc. no let up in current transport pa licies.
One of his first tasks this weel was to meet the powerful indus try delegation led by the Freigh Transport Association (CM Sep tember 12), which met him at we closed for press on Tuesda to press for action to be taken or Armitage, and in particular or the introduction of heavier lor ries.
He was also likely to stand ir for Mr Fowler, who was due tc address the FTA's national con ference at Wembley, London, or Thursday.
The change of Minister haE also left the Road Haulage Asso. ciation in a state of confusion and a spokesman there des. cribed Mr Fowler's move (hE was due to address the RHA next month) as "rather a nuisance".
But he added that the Association had already written inviting Mr Howell, and said that Juniot Transport Minister Kenneth Clarke, who stays put in this reshuffle, would be equally welcome. CM hopes for a similar arrangement for its Fleet Management Conference on October 8.
The RHA spokesman added that the Association has already been impressed by Mr Howell's grasp of road transport's problems, having had meetings with him when fuel became scarce in the summer of 1979, and added that it also hoped that his knowledge of conservation needs would make him take an early decision in favour of heavier lorries.