§ 4.39 p.m.
§ Mr. Arthur LewisI 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 of public importance namely,
The Shelter Report drawing attention to the hundreds and possibly thousands of persons who are homeless and sleeping in cars and on the streets who will he unable to spend Christmas Day and the Christmas period in their own homes or under any roof, and the refusal of Her Majesty's Government to give these people assistance in overcoming their problems.I know that I cannot argue the merits of the question, but I believe that I am allowed to explain why the matter is specific and of urgent and public importance in the hope that I may persuade you, Mr. Speaker, to grant the motion.The matter is most specific, because the report was circulated to every hon. Member only this week, and it draws specific attention to the serious problem of the homeless in London and the big cities. I really mean "homeless". Within a stone's throw of this House at night men and women are sleeping out on the embankment because they have no homes. That can be seen any 1364 night of the week by any hon. Member who takes a short walk.
The matter must obviously be urgent, because my application refers to Christmas Day and the Christmas period. We have only today and tomorrow in which we can discuss the question before the Christmas Recess. It is most urgent that hon. Members should have an opportunity to discuss it before Christmas, to enable hundreds and possibly thousands of homeless people to have somewhere to go during Christmas rather than sleep out in cars, on the embankment and on the streets of London.
The matter is of public importance. I have approached all the Government Departments in an attempt to get something done about it. Every Minister, including the Prime Minister, has refused to do anything. A woman constituent of mine is homeless, and it is surely—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman is abusing his right. We had a considerable debate on these matters on Friday, when he was not present.
§ Mr. LewisThat is not possible, Mr. Speaker, because last Friday the report had not come out. I am referring to a report which has spoken of the specific matter of people sleeping in cars and on the embankment. With great respect to you, Mr. Speaker, last Friday I did not know what would he in a report that was issued on Monday: I did not know that on Monday I would receive a letter from a homeless constituent, and that the Prime Minister would refuse to do anything to rehouse her.
Therefore, I believe that the matter is of great importance, and that discussion should take place now, before the House goes into recess, to see that the homeless have a roof over their heads before Christmas so that they can enjoy the festive season.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman gave me notice of his intention to make this application. I have considered it, but both under the terms of the Standing Order, which I ask the hon. Gentleman to re-read, and in all the other circumstances of the case, I cannot grant his application.