§ Mr. HefferI beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely,
the general dislocation and disruption of the postal services, including the temporary abandonment of second-class mail, which has arisen as the result of the deadlock in negotiations between the Union of Post Office Workers and the Postmaster-General.I think that it can be agreed, Mr. Speaker, that we have a specific situation which concerns the current dislocation which applies today as a result of the statement by the Postmaster-General and will certainly apply during the next few days. I also think that we can agree that there are widespread consequences as a result of the statement made by the Postmaster-General this afternoon.There are specific reasons, because we are dealing with a concrete situation that has been reported to this House.
As for public importance, I do not think that I need to make a long statement about that. It is obvious to the whole House and, I would have thought, to the whole country.
Therefore, I would ask that we have a debate on this issue now. If we, as a House of Commons, are to influence the conduct of the discussions and the future of our postal and telegraphic services, 1553 the House must have the right here and now to discuss this specific and important matter.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely,
the general dislocation and disruption of the postal services, including the temporary abandonment of second-class mail, which has arisen as a result of the deadlock in negotiations between the Union of Post Office Workers and the Postmaster-General.As the House knows, under the revised Standing Order No. 9, Mr. Speaker is directed to take into account the several factors set out in the Order, but to give no reasons for his decision.I have given careful consideration to the representations which the hon. Gentleman has made and, indeed, to the Questions which preceded them, but I have to rule that the hon. Gentleman's submission does not fall within the provisions of the revised Standing Order and, therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.
§ Sir D. Walker-SmithMr. Speaker, on a different aspect arising out of the same matter, I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely,
the suspension by executive action, under no identified powers, of the second-class postal service".Mr. Speaker, here, in the House of Commons, which has been the model of law, liberty and regard to constitutional practice the world over, no words of mine are necessary to stress either the importance or the urgency of the House taking into consideration an attempt by the 1554 Executive to act in an arbitrary way without identified legislative sanction.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe right hon. and learned Gentleman asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely,
the suspension by executive action, under no identified powers, of the second-class postal service ",I am satisfied that the matter raised by the right hon. and learned Gentleman is proper to be discussed under Standing Order No. 9. Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman have the leave of the House?
§ The leave of the House having been given—
§ Mr. SpeakerThe Motion for the Adjournment of the House will now stand over until 7 o'clock tonight, when a debate on the matter will take place for three hours. This is provided for under the terms of the revised Standing Order No. 9.