HC Deb 13 November 1980 vol 992 cc641-3
Mr. William Hamilton

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 imminent deportation of a considerable number of persons, mainly Filipinos, many of whom have been resident in the United Kingdom for several years. As the House will probably know, I am a sponsored Member of the Confederation of Health Service Employees. That union has provided me with the names and case histories of eight of its members, all of whom are faced with the imminent threat of deportation. For obvious reasons, I cannot put their names on the record, but the Minister is aware of them. I can provide him with the names and where they are employed if he wishes. Suffice to say that they currently work in National Health Service hospitals in various capacities‖nurses, State enrolled nurses, nursing assistants, domestic assistants and so on.

Perhaps I may quote sufficient evidence to enable the Minister to identify the people concerned. One example concerns a couple threatened with deportation as long ago as 22 September. I understand that the decision is now being delayed pending consideration of representations made by COHSE, other organisations and individuals in the meantime.

Another of the persons to whom I shall refer was threatened with deportation on Sunday, 22 October. Further representations have been made in that case by COHSE and other organisations and a decision is imminent.

In the third case, the date of deportation had been fixed for 28 August. That, too, was deferred following representations by the organisations to which I referred.

The fourth case concerns a couple whose deportation decision is awaiting the result of representations made by their Member of Parliament.

All these cases are known to the Home Department. These clearly are specific cases, and therefore they are covered by that part of the Standing Order.

That the matter is urgent is clear. The urgency must be apparent from what I have said.

I, too, have read the Minister's speech—in fact, I listened to the greater part of the debate—but it did not pacify me in the slightest. On the contrary, despite what the Minister of State said last night, the exchange this afternoon gave the clear impression that he is under great pressure from his own party within and outside the House, to send people home.

Mr. Marlow

Quite right.

Mr. Hamilton

I hear the interjection "Quite right". Let those who say that understand that there is such a thing as humanitarianism and also discretion on the part of the Minister. The Minister, in the latter part of his speech yesterday, said that he was seeking to exercise discretion in the name of humanity in those cases. That is my appeal to him.

I submit that the Adjournment debate yesterday was not an adequate alternative to a major debate. We cannot discuss legislative proposals in an Adjournment debate whereas we can in a major debate.

I do not need to labour the point that matters relating to civil and human rights are, or should be, important to the House. The problems of minorities are worthy of the most serious consideration by Parliament. The decisions to deport these people may be taken during the time that Parliament is not in session, between the end of today and next Thursday. The Secretary of State may decide to deport these people within the next seven days and there will be no redress. That is why I seek an immediate debate on these matters.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Gentleman gave me notice before 12 noon 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 imminent deportation of a considerable number of people, mainly Filipinos.

The hon. Gentleman has brought to the notice of the House, as did his hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Leith (Mr. Brown), a matter of the utmost concern to the people involved. The House has, in the main, listened with concern to what has been said. It has also instructed me to take into account the several factors set out in the order, but to give no reasons for my decision.

I listened carefully and anxiously to the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton), but I have to rule that his submission does not fall within the provisions of the Standing Order. Therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.