AGRICULTURAL TIED HOUSING REFORM (SCOTLAND) (Hansard, 21 March 1979)

§ Mr. Buchan
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. It will be noticed that my hon. Friend the Member for Berwick and East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson), for reasons known to you and me, is unable to be here to ask leave to bring in his Agricultural Tied Housing Reform (Scotland) Bill. In view of that, I asked whether one of the sponsors could move the motion for my hon. Friend. I understand that that is not possible.
In the circumstances, is it possible for the debate to be deferred to another day, perhaps appointed by you, Mr. Speaker? There are exceptional circumstances.

§ Mr. Speaker
I understand that there are very good reasons why the hon. Member for Berwick and East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) is unable to come to the House. I think that it is the snow. I have just been advised that the reason is even more serious than that.
All that I can say is that no one else can ask leave to bring in the Bill, and I certainly cannot guarantee another day.

§ Mr. Teddy Taylor
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. We had a debate yesterday on an emergency Bill for Scotland. I cannot see how any Scottish 1501 Member, having been present at that debate, could have been held up in the snow today.

§ Mr. Buchan
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. The hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Taylor) has raised a disgraceful point of order. Many of us are extremely conscious of the reasons why my hon. Friend the Member for Berwick and East Lothian had to return to Scotland yesterday. There was a serious and dangerous illness in his family. I had hoped that I would not have to mention that.
Despite that, my hon. Friend left his home at five o'clock this morning, but because of the blizzard in the east of Scotland he has been unable to get here. Despite the difficulties, he had every intention of coming here. I hope that the hon. Member for Cathcart, who purports to speak for the Opposition Front Bench, will withdraw his remarks.

§ Mr. Taylor
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I was not aware that there had been a family illness. In those circumstances, I withdraw what I said.

§ Mr. Speaker
I think that the best thing that we can do is to move on and forget that matter.

§ Mr. Fairbairn
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I gave you notice this morning that I wished to oppose the introduction of the Bill by the hon. Member for Berwick and East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson). I was not informed at any time, by a sponsor or anyone else, that the hon. Gentleman, for reasons that we all regret, would not be here. If that information was in the hands of others, it must have been in their hands so long ago that common courtesy would have enabled them to tell me.
As I have made researches that disclose that the hon. Gentleman's constituents, including both agriculture workers and farmers, are hotly and unanimously opposed to the Bill—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. and learned Gentleman is taking advantage. He is not making a point of order. The matter has been well ventilated. We understand that there are very good reasons for the hon. Member for Berwick and East Lothian not being here. They 1502 could have kept away any hon. Member with family feelings, which we all have. I suggest that we should leave the matter there.

§ Mr. Ridley
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. It has just come to my notice that the motion for the introduction of the Ten-Minute Bill down for debate today is not to be moved. Would it be possible for me to make an immediate application to move the introduction of a Ten-Minute Bill on the subject of agricultural tied housing reform in Scotland? I promise that I shall take only a minute or two—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I have already dealt with that point of order. The hon. Member for Renfrewshire, West (Mr. Buchan) asked whether he could ask leave to introduce a Bill under the same title. I explained that he could not. The opportunity belongs to the hon. Member who has been fortunate enough to gain it.