HC Deb 04 August 1976 vol 916 cc1739-40
Mr. Dalyell

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, Government policy towards an oil refinery on the shore of the Cromarty Firth". The matter is urgent in that my hon Friends the Members for Keighley (Mr Crycr) and Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) and I raised an objection at 2.35 this afternoon to a Private Bill. If our blocking motion stands, the proposed development could not be set in train for at least another six months.

The matter is important in that at least £30 million to £40 million of Government money is involved in the project, to say nothing of housing, schools and infrastructure in rural Easter Ross at a time when local authority expenditure throughout Britain is being cut back.

Furthermore, the matter is important because the oil industry has told us that it is operating at 60 per cent. of refining capacity and is likely to do so on its projects well into the 1980s. This is a critical and urgent issue of whether it is sensible to allow the construction of a new refinery on a green field site.

Again, the matter is important to those concerned with the scrutiny rôle of the House. The circumstances of the company are unusual. Companies concerned with cancer research in Switzerland are not normally associated with the construction of oil refineries. We should like to ask directly what is the position in relation to Treasury approval of this project. I understand why my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland had to stick to the planning procedure aspect of the matter in Monday night's debate.

Since this is a matter which might be thought to affect 1,500 potential jobs during construction and 400 refinery jobs and has already raised hopes in the public mind, may we ask for a statement of clarification, perhaps tomorrow, from the Minister of State, Scottish Office, who with his usual great courtesy is here today, so that my hon. Friends the Members for Keighley and Perry Barr and I can decide whether to withdraw our objection? That objection was not made lightly, because we know that the issues are important to a great many people.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) 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, Government policy towards an oil refinery on the shore of the Cromarty Firth". As the House knows, under Standing Order No. 9 I am directed to take into account the several factors set out in the Order, but to give no reason for my decision.

I have given careful consideration to the representations that the hon. Gentleman has made, because I was aware of them this morning, but I have to rule that his submission does not fall within the provisions of the Standing Order and, therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.