HC Deb 14 February 1979 vol 962 cc1162-4
Mr. John H. Osborn

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 which I believe should have urgent consideration, namely, the industrial and commercial chaos in Sheffield and South Yorkshire today, due to heavy snow, and, because of an industrial dispute, the consequential failure to grit, maintain and clear main roads, causing a complete breakdown in public transport, the movement of private vehicles and the provision of goods transport, thereby severely inhibiting the industrial life of the city. As today there are several applications under Standing Order No. 9, Mr. Speaker, I shall be brief.

Sheffield today is a ghost city. That is due not only to heavy snowfalls but to the inability to clear them as has been traditional. It is a situation that many people in London today may regard as unreal, but it is very real in the city of Sheffield.

At noon today, most main roads in and around Sheffield had not been gritted or cleared due to guerrilla action by public employees. I understand that the parkway into Sheffield was frozen solid and that all roads, where there was the slightest incline, had been either closed by police or were littered with vehicles unable to move. Bus services have been suspended. Commercial life is at a standstill. Many shops are empty, with few customers and even fewer assistants to serve them.

After discussions with the Conservative opposition leaders of the county and city councils, as well as with the chamber of commerce, it is reported that in many factories, shops and commercial premises employees will be leaving early. Once again, essential services for maintaining employment in the city, and a reasonable standard of domestic life, have not been provided by the South Yorkshire county council or the Sheffield city council.

Mr. Canavan

Come on, hurry up.

Mr. Osborn

It is particularly ironic for the citizens of Sheffield, and those concerned about their future employment opportunities, that only a week ago the city council should have passed a vote of thanks to its employees for keeping the roads open and pavements clear—not very relevant today.

In my case, the situation is also ironic. I flew back from Luxembourg to discuss with industrial leaders and fellow Conservatives the impact of industrial unrest on the life of the city and its ability to meet commitments to its customers worldwide. The Prime Minister's platitudinous statement today about the concordat with the TUC will in no way have alleviated this concern to maintain the day-to-day life of the city. I regard this as a matter of urgency and requiring a debate today.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Gentleman gave me notice before 12 o'clock this morning that he would seek leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he believes should have urgent consideration, namely, the industrial and commercial chaos in Sheffield and South Yorkshire today, due to heavy snow, and, because of an industrial dispute, the consequential failure to grit, maintain and clear main roads, causing a complete breakdown in public transport, the movement of private vehicles and the provision of goods transport, thereby severely inhibiting the industrial life of the city. The hon. Gentleman has brought a very serious matter to the attention of the House. I listened with care and concern to what he had to say. He knows that I decide not whether the matter shall be debated but merely whether it shall be debated tonight, as he has requested, or tomorrow. I regret to have to tell the hon. Gentleman that his submission does not fall within the Standing Order and, therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.

Mr. Molloy

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker

Before I call the hon. Gentleman, may I say that I can always manage without cheers when I give the result of an application under Standing Order No. 9, because, if I accept that cheers are in order, groans and disapproval are equally in order.

Mr. Molloy

I do not wish to detain the House, but there has been a further spate of applications under Standing Order No. 9. I have listened to them all. One seemed particularly poignant and serious, but the others did not seem to come anywhere near the principles of Standing Order No. 9. May I respectfully request of you, Mr. Speaker, if at all possible, to reconsider the application under Standing Order No. 9 that I made yesterday?

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Gentleman may ask me, but he should not be too optimistic.

Mr. Emery

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Obviously you have to interpret the rules of the House as they have been established by the House. As the Leader of the House is present, and as in the past few months the use of Standing Order No. 9 for constituency matters —it never used to be so used—has become much more prevalent, I wonder whether he ought to consider asking the Sessional Procedure Committee to look at this matter in view of what has occurred recently.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Gentleman is the third hon. Member—one right hon. Member and two hon. Members—who in recent days has drawn attention to this matter. The Leader of the House will have heard what has been said, and I have nothing further to say about it.

Rev. Ian Paisley

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. Surely the right of an hon. Member to raise a matter that is of urgent importance to his own constituency should not be challenged in this House.

Mr. Speaker

It is an old custom that hon. Members find their own ways of raising constituency matters. Other avenues are also open to hon. Members.