§ Mr. Stan Thorne (Preston, South)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 be given urgent consideration, namely,
the withholding of unemployment benefit from the workers dismissed in January at Roach Bridge paper mill near Preston.I must show why this important matter must have urgent consideration. There were 50 men involved in the action. They have been deprived of unemployment benefit. The insurance officer has judged that because they are in dispute they do not qualify for unemployment benefit until the dispute ends or is resolved. The dispute is over the right to join a trade union.The insurance officer has said that this matter is a Catch-22 situation—even though the men have been sacked, they are still involved. He says that if the men stopped picketing, the dispute would be resolved and they would then receive the dole.
I have a letter from the Department of Employment addressed to me which says that a constituent of mine is unable to receive unemployment benefit until the dispute is resolved, despite the fact that he received notification of dismissal on 5 January this year. He has a wife and two children and is suffering considerable hardship as a result of the decision.
The firm has replaced the sacked workers. Inevitably the matter is described as blackmail since it appears that the workers must leave the picket line or go without the dole. If the men are sacked, surely the dispute is over for them. Therefore, the Department of Employment has no right to withhold benefit.
On Thursday, the Prime Minister expressed concern about the sacking of Joanna Harris and said that she should have the right not to join a trade union. These workers should have the right to join a union without being sacked.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member for Preston, South (Mr. Thorne) 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 thinks should have urgent consideration, namely,
the withholding of unemployment benefit from the workers dismissed in January at Roach Bridge paper mill near Preston.The House will have listened with concern to what the hon. Gentleman said, but it is aware that I do not decide whether the matter will be debated. I decide merely whether it should be debated tonight or tomorrow. As the House also knows, it has instructed me to give no reasons for my decision. After listening carefully to what the hon. Gentleman said, I have to rule that his submission does not fall within the provisions of the Standing Order and, therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.