HC Deb 25 January 1977 vol 924 cc1198-9
Mr. Peter Bottomley

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 unemployment statistics announced today". The unemployment statistics announced at lunchtime today were the first accurate unemployment figures for three months.

The matter is specific. In the United Kingdom there are now 1,448,000 people out of work, which is an increase of 77,000 in only one month. Including the 500,000 jobs which the Government claim to have saved, the underlying figures of unemployment show that basic unemployment has risen by more than 1,300,000 in three years.

The matter is important because more than 1,200,000 people have been out of work for four weeks or more, which is 700,000 higher than three years ago.

The matter should be given urgent consideration because in the last three years the Government have been asserting that their policies would avoid exceptional increases in unemployment. These latest figures show that the Government's assertions, policies and administrative actions have all failed.

The matter comes within the scope of ministerial powers, and the Secretary of State for Employment or the Prime Minister could have made a full statement and answered questions earlier this afternoon. One of them should have chosen to do so, but neither chose to do so.

I seek to apply for a debate under Standing Order No. 9 so that the House may discuss this matter urgently.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for Woolwich, West (Mr. Bottomley) gave me notice this morning that he proposed to make an application under Standing Order No. 9 this afternoon.

The 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 unemployment statistics announced today". As the House knows, I am not invited to comment on the importance of an issue or whether it should be debated. All that I have to decide is whether the matter should take precedence over the Government business as set down, and I follow the practice of my predecessor in this regard where we are dealing with a very grave and continuing problem.

I therefore have to rule that the hon. Gentleman's submission does not fall within the provisions of Standing Order No. 9 and, therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.