HC Deb 26 April 1978 vol 948 cc1379-80
Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop

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 announcement by the Prime Minister during an interview with Mr. Julian Haviland on 'News at Ten' last night, Tuesday 25th April, that members of the Armed Forces have security in their jobs". I have given notice to the Prime Minister that I would be making this application. I have received from Independent Television News a transcript of the actual broadcast last night from which I quote the Prime Minister's words. He said: I think the important thing for the Services is that they have got a firm undertaking from now until 1980 together with security in their jobs—you know there are a lot of people who won't have that and won't have the security of their jobs as well. So you've got to balance all these factors out. The matter is specific because it is a specific quotation from a statement which the Prime Minister made justifying his belief that members of the Armed Forces ought to be content with the 14 per cent. pay increase announced yesterday. It is important because it represents a critical departure from the current Ministry of Defence practice of terminating prematurely the engagement of members of the Armed Forces, which the Minister of Defence wishes so to terminate, irrespective of whether the Service men concerned are thrown into the pool of unemployed people, and because no announcement of this important change of policy was made in conjunction with the announcement of the pay increase either in Parliament or elsewhere within the knowledge of Parliament.

I submit that this is such a major change of policy, and such an important announcement by the Prime Minister, that it ought not to wait until Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow but should be debated this very day, so that the Prime Minister can have the opportunity of making in the House the statement of the change of policy which he made in the interview on Independent Television last night and so that he may be questioned by hon. Members upon that statement without another day going by, which might result in confusion and disappointment within the Armed Forces.

Mr. Speaker

Following his customary courtesy, the hon. Gentleman gave me notice before 12 o'clock that he would raise this matter this afternoon and that he would seek leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter which he believes should have urgent consideration, namely, the announcement by the Prime Minister during an interview with Mr. Julian Haviland on 'News at Ten' last night, Tuesday 25th April, that members of the Armed Forces have security in their jobs. 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 reasons for my decision.

I have listened with great care to what the hon. Gentleman has stated in his application, but I fear I have to rule that the hon. Gentleman's submission does not fall within the provisions of the Standing Order. Therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.