HC Deb 24 February 1981 vol 999 c754

4.9 pm

Mr. Denzil Davies (Llanelli)

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 threatened closure of the Duport Steelworks in Llanelli, with the loss of 1,200 jobs, and the Government's policy towards the private sector of the steel industry. The matter is specific because it relates to a steelworks in my constituency which has an excellent industrial record, high productivity, modern plant, an efficient work force and good local management. The matter is specific also because it relates to the problems of the private steel industry in general.

The matter is urgent because, in three weeks' time, it is proposed that 1,200 men in my constituency will be put on the dole, and many of them will probaby never work again. They will lose their jobs not because of any failings in themselves but because of the Government's policies and high energy costs. The energy costs of Duport in Llanelli now exceed the wage costs of that plant, because of high interest rates, because of the high value of the pound, because of depression at home, and because of aggressive marketing by the British Steel Corporation.

The matter is specific, urgent, and important. It must be debated now so that the Government can tell the House how they propose to save these jobs and what they propose to do about all the other jobs in the private sector of the steel industry.

In the firm's statement yesterday, it was said that the scheme proposed and mentioned today was acceptable to Duport and to its bankers. That might be so, but it is not acceptable to 1,200 of my constituents and their families. They have a right to look to the House for assistance to save their jobs and to preserve the community in which they live.

Mr. Speaker

The right hon. Member for Llanelli (Mr. Davies) gave me notice before 12 o'clock today that he would seek leave to move the Adjournment of the House to discuss a specific and important matter that he believes should have urgent consideration, namely, the threatened closure of the Duport steelworks in Llanelli, with the loss of 1,200 jobs, and the Government's policy towards the private sector of the steel industry. The right hon. Gentleman and the House know that I listen with anxious concern when such applications are made. It happens that I know this particular area and I know what is involved in the right hon. Gentleman's application. I have given careful consideration to the representations that he has made. The House knows that I do not decide whether this matter should be debated. That decision lies elsewhere. I merely decide whether it should be debated tonight or tomorrow night in an emergency debate.

I have to rule that the right hon. Gentleman's submission does not fall within the provisions of the Standing Order, and therefore I cannot submit his application to the House.