HC Deb 25 November 1970 vol 807 cc450-2
Mr. Braine

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. No one appreciates more than I do the statement you have just made and the reaction of my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House. But as this appears to be a day of protest and much questioning, I hope you and the House will bear with me if I raise a matter of very grave importance affecting my constituents, and I will be brief.

I seek leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9 on a specific and important matter which I believe should have urgent consideration, namely, The violent obstruction offered yesterday to the Essex Fire Brigade in the performance of their duty by students of Essex University, the consequent risk to life and property that their action caused, and the wider implications for safety against fire in the County of Essex. My reasons for saying that this matter is of specific importance and that it is also urgent are, briefly, as follows.

You will be aware that only last night, supported by the hon. Gentleman the Member for Thurrock (Mr. Delargy), I raised the matter of the serious anxiety of my constituents concerning industrial fire risks on Canvey Island, in the course of which I mentioned two serious fires, one at the Shell Oil Company's refinery at Shellhaven and a later one in July, and I stressed the dangers and the strain on our fire-fighting resources. This morning, as if to ram the lesson home, a further serious fire took place at the Shell-haven refinery.

I am sure that you and the whole House would agree that at any time obstruction to firemen in the course of their duty is a matter of grave public importance, since life itself may be involved. Yesterday, protesting students lit a bonfire on the premises of Essex University. It may be without knowledge that they did so over a 10-inch gas main. Essex Fire Brigade was called, firemen were assaulted while carrying out their duties, the fire hose was turned on the firemen and the hose was slashed.

The specific and criminal obstruction offered yesterday at Essex University, at a time of acute anxiety in South Essex about fire precautions generally, given extra point today by the major fire which has broken out at the Shellhaven Refinery, the third this year, adding as it must to the burdens of our already heavily pressed county fire brigade, is, I submit, sufficient justification for my application to be granted.

Mr. Speaker

As is customary, the hon. Member for Essex, South-East (Mr. Braine) has been kind enough to inform me that he would seek leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9 for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter which he thought should have urgent consideration; namely, The violent obstruction offered yesterday to the Essex Fire Brigade in the performance of their duty by students of Essex University, the consequent risk to life and property that their action caused, and the wider implications for safety against fire in the County of Essex. As the House knows, under Standing Order No. 9 I am directed to take account of the several factors set out in the Standing Order but to give no reasons for my decision. I have given careful consideration to the hon. Member's representations, but I have to rule that his statement does not fall within the provision of the Standing Order and that I therefore cannot submit his application to the House.

Mr. Delargy

On a point of order—

Mr. Speaker

It is customary when the Chair has ruled on Standing Order No. 9 for the Ruling to be accepted.

Mr. Mather

On a new point of order. The implications for fire brigades over the whole country are so serious, Mr. Speaker, that I ask you whether you would accept a submission—

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member cannot have heard what I said. He is seeking to pursue a matter on which I have ruled. If he wishes to raise the matter in a parliamentary way, it must be in some other way; for instance, at business questions tomorrow.