§ Mr. Les Huckfield (Nuneaton)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 failure of the British Railways Board to increase wages for railwaymen, especially footplate staffs, as agreed by the railway staff national tribunal and the Arbitration and Conciliation Service in August 1981 and its industrial consequences and results for the travelling public".I submit that the issue is specific because it arises from the failure of the British Railways Board to honour an undertaking that it gave to the Arbitration and Conciliation Service last August. There is a large amount of documentary evidence relating thereto. I submit that the issue is important not only because of its consequences on specific days to the travelling public but also to the increasing consequences for industrial customers, especially in the steel industry and others that are now being reported.Also, the matter should have urgent consideration because, from the statements that are now emanating from the British Railways Board, we can see that it is daily hardening its attitude. If the attitude of the British Railways Board and British Rail management will harden, I forecast that the action and the industrial consequences will also increase.
I submit also that action and intervention by the Secretary of State is warranted. By his inaction and standing on the sidelines thus far, he has not helped. By what he has said while standing on the sidelines, he has helped even less. I hope that we can have a debate under Standing Order No. 9 so that we can have a helpful intervention by the Secretary of State, not least because the position that has been taken by the British Railways Board is basically attributable to the Government's policy. The matter requires intervention and Government action.
Above all—I recognise that I am not entitled to go into the merits of the debate—the House should be given an opportunity to debate and decide such an important issue this week. It is especially important that all hon. Members and the people that they represent should have an opportunity to see the precise facts and figures of the position as soon as possible.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Huckfield) gave me notice before 12 noon today 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 failure of the British Railways Board to increase wages for railwaymen, especially footplate staffs, as agreed by the railway staff national tribunal and the Arbitration and Conciliation Service in August 1981 and its industrial consequences and results for the travelling public".As the House heard me say in response to the previous application, my powers are very limited. The House knows that an emergency debate is not the only way in which the matter can be debated.I listened with great care to what the hon. Gentleman said, but I must rule that his submission does not fall within the provisions of the Standing Order and therefore I cannot submit his application to the House.
§ Mr. Geoffrey Dickens (Huddersfield, West)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. On an application under Standing Order No. 9, is it not an hon. Member's duty to declare an interest? If that is so, an interest should have been declared by the hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Huckfield).
§ Mr. SpeakerThe House understands that when an application is made under Standing Order No. 9 we listen with care to the arguments advanced. If there is any special interest to be declared, hon. Members usually do so.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldFurther to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am sponsored by the Transport and General Workers Union, but by an arrangement with that union I also speak in the House on behalf of ASLEF. The precise nature of my commitment to ASLEF, which is not a sponsorship, is of course recorded in the Register of Members' Interests.