COAL INDUSTRY (Hansard, 14 November 1967)

§ Mr. Abse
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Statements affecting the future of the coal industry have been made during the past week, statements, which have caused considerable alarm and anxiety amongst many of our constituents. Despite the fact that they have been made and that there have been suggestions that the proposals are ill-informed and distorted, no Ministerial statement has been made in the House.
At a quarter past three this afternoon we had presented to us the Coal Industry Bill and a White Paper, and although we have had statements affecting Rhodesia, cattle, and Aden, still no statement has been made about friends of ours in the country.
Is it not wholly derogatory to the House, and an abuse of our procedures, that when we wish to question whether those alarming statements are distorted or misleading my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power is holding a Press conference at Caxton Hall at 4 o'clock, and no opportunity is being given to miners' M.P.s or the House to question the Minister?

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. With all respect, that is not a point of order.

§ Mr. Swain
On a point of order, appertaining to the same subject but couched in different terms. We appreciate your position as the guardian of the 240 few back-bench rights we still maintain in the House over the Executive, Mr. Speaker, though they are very few indeed, and we are very proud that you do at times guard them. [Laughter.]
Today, we had presented to us at a quarter past three a document on fuel policy. The White Paper deals specifically with a fuel policy and the Bill that was issued simultaneously deals with the consequential effects on the coal industry and the men who work therein. The White Paper deals with fuel economy as a whole and the Bill deals with a one-industry problem.
I appeal to you, Mr. Speaker, on the ground that a Press conference is taking place at the moment, as my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypool (Mr. Abse) said, and ask: is it right for the Press, the B.B.C. and the I.T.A. to be in possession of a copy of this document at 11 o'clock this morning, when it was not distributed to the House until a quarter past three this afternoon?

§ Mr. Speaker
I acknowledge the graceful part of the left-handed compliment which the hon. Gentleman paid to me. But, quite frankly, I have no power, as a matter of order, to do anything about the complaint the hon. Gentleman has made, which he must make to the Ministers concerned.

§ Mr. Heath
Further to that point of order. If the information the hon. Gentleman has given the House is correct, as I have no doubt it is, ought not the Leader of the House to have seen that the House was given the information by a statement of the Minister before the Minister held a Press and broadcasting conference?

§ The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Richard Crossman)
I have been listening with close attention to the interventions, and say straight away that I will bring to my right hon. Friend's notice—[HON. MEMBERS: "Too late."]—the feelings of the House. It is perfectly normal to have a White Paper laid without a statement, but if the House needs a statement I am, of course, prepared to put it to him and he will consider when to make it.

§ Mr. Swain
On a point of order. I beg to give notice that I will raise this 241 matter on the Adjournment at the earliest possible moment.

§ Mr. Doughty
Criticism has been made outside the House of certain statements by my constituent, Lord Robens of Woldingham. Those criticisms were made by Ministers. It would be my duty to my constituent to seek to protect him in the House. If the Ministers believe that the statements were incorrect, and had grounds for criticising them, their criticisms should be made in the House, where the Ministers themselves can be criticised.

§ Mr. Speaker
I think that all these are very interesting matters, but they are not matters for the Chair.