HC Deb 18 January 1982 vol 16 cc42-3 4.44 pm
Mr. Bruce Millan (Glasgow, Craigton)

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 permanent closure of the British Aluminium smelter at Invergordon and the disasterous employment and other consequences that that would involve in the Highlands and elsewhere. I need not argue about the specific nature of the subject, Mr. Speaker, because you will have heard this afternoon's statement. It is certainly a very specific matter for the 1,500 or so people who will lose their jobs as a result of the closure of the smelter. However, the matter obviously cannot be allowed to rest on that statement.

I need not emphasise how important the issue is to the area that is directly involved. From my visit to the area last week, I know that there is considerable anger and bitterness about the announcement. The implications go beyond the area concerned and affect the other British Aluminium plants in Scotland and elsewhere.

The matter is important and we need to know exactly what happened during the negotiations between the Government and the company. What happened at Invergordon has important implications for the other two smelters operating in the United Kingdom. As the hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. Best) pointed out earlier, in Anglesey the charges for power will have to be renegotiated following the commencement of Dungeness nuclear power station. There is another smelter in the North and I understand that the coal price will soon have to be re-negotiated with the National Coal Board. The issue is important because of the general implications for energy policies. It is particularly important because of the effect on the electricity industry and on consumers in Scotland. The loss of no less than 7 per cent. of the total electricity demand is bound to have a considerable effect which will in turn have implications for the coal industry in Scotland. That industry is almost exclusively dependent on the supply of coal for the generation of electricity in Scotland. The matter will also affect the rail industry and the other industries in Scotland.

As regards the urgency of the matter, the closure was announced during the recess and we have already lost three weeks. We might have debated this matter long before now. However, the matter is particularly urgent because the redundancy notices, which were first to be issued a fortnight ago, have been deferred in successive weeks. On the present understanding between the company and the trade unions concerned, those notices will be issued later this week. Therefore, it is extremely important to debate this issue before those notices are issued.

There are important points to be debated and it is essential that those in Scotland, particularly those in the area directly involved, should know exactly what the Government intend to do to reverse the potentially disastrous situation. It is for those reasons that I have sought to raise this Adjournment debate.

Mr. Speaker

The right hon. Member for Glasgow, Craigton (Mr. Millan) asks 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 threatened permanent closure of the British Aluminium smelter at Invergordon and the disastrous employment and other consequences that that would involve in the Highlands and elsewhere. No hon. Member who has been in the Chamber this afternoon will have failed to take note of the serious issues raised in the Minister's statement and in the right hon. Gentleman's application. The House is aware that I do not decide whether this matter—which is of undoubted importance in Scotland—should be debated. My powers are limited to deciding whether there should be a three-hour debate on this important question tonight or tomorrow night. The House has instructed me to give no reason for my decision.

I listened with anxious care to the right hon. Gentleman's representations, but 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.