HC Deb 07 November 1977 vol 938 cc312-3
Mr. Gorst

I apologise for not letting you have notice of my application, Mr Speaker, but unfortunately I was engaged in aspects of the events which I wish to raise.

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9—

Mr. Speaker

I am sorry to interrupt the hon. Gentleman, but 1 can take the House into my confidence and say that I have already indicated to another hon. Member who wished to raise the matter of Grunwick that as he had not told me before 12 o'clock—and the facts were known to us in the House well before 12 o'clock—I could not allow the hon. Gentleman to pursue his application. I have already dealt in the normal way with one hon. Member who accepted my ruling that he should have given me notice of his intention before 12 o'clock. That is the Standing Order of the House.

Mr. Gorst

On a point of order. Mr. Speaker. May I draw to your attention that there have been developments which I believe are additional to those of which you already have cognisance, namely, the possibility that a national strike is now to be called arising from those events.

Mr. Speaker

With every respect to the hon. Gentleman—who I know is deeply concerned about this matter—I suggest that he leaves the matter for today and seeks to raise it some other time. It would be very unfair for me to allow the hon. Gentleman to seek the Adjournment of the House on the Grunwick affair when I have already indicated to another hon. Member, who accepted my ruling, that if he proposed I should indicate to the House that he had not given me notice, as is required, before 12 o'clock

Mr. Jim Marshall

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. You referred to an hon. Gentleman who wished to raise this issue under Standing Order No. 9 and did not advise you of that before 12 o'clock. May I point out that in fact I applied to you at a quarter to 11 this morning to put a Private Notice Question on this very subject?

Mr. Speaker

That is part of the secret life of this House. We do not usually refer to the fact that a Private Notice Question has been sought and not allowed.