§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, West (Mr. Brown) has let me know that he seeks to make an application under Standing Order No. 9 for a debate on the dispute in the National Health Service, which the House is to debate on Wednesday. I submit to him that to persist: in his application would be an abuse of our rules in view of the fact that the House is going to discuss the matter on Wednesday. The debate has been guaranteed.
§ Mr. Robert C. Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne, West)With due deference to what you have said, Mr. Speaker, 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 crisis in industrial relations within the National Health Service due to the Government's intransigence in prolonging the present pay dispute with its consequent effect upon both the morale and efficiency of health care within the service.I did consider withdrawing my application in view of the impending statement but, having heard the statement and subsequent exchanges, I am glad I did not. I am extremely concerned that National Health Service workers, an eminently reasonable group of people, are being driven into militancy by the Government's attitudes and lack of action. We are now starting the next wage round while we have a claim from the previous wage round, when inflation was 12 per cent.-plus. To talk now of existing inflation is to perpetrate the three-card trick on National Health Service workers. By allowing this dispute to carry on and by refusing arbitration, the Secretary of State is behaving like an industrial skinhead, when one reflects that the unions to which he so offensively refers have expressed their wish to accept arbitration.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman must not make the speech he would make if I were to grant his application. He must confine his remarks to justify ing his call for an immediate debate.
§ Mr. BrownI submit to you, Mr. Speaker, that such is the urgency of the dispute that the Government stand condemned that we should be debating the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill today when we should have been debating the National Health Service dispute. I appeal Ito you, Mr. Speaker, to agree to my submission, in spite of the fact that the House is to debate the issue on Wednesday, so that we can debate it 48 hours earlier arid thus seek to alleviate much of the present suffering throughout the country.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, West (Mr. Brown) gave me notice before midday 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 crisis in industrial relations within the National Health Service due to the Government's intransigence in prolonging the present pay dispute with its consequent effect upon both the morale and efficiency of health care within the service.As the House knows, I am directed to take account of the several factors set cut in the Order, but to give no reason for my decision.35 I cannot advise the House that the hon. Gentleman's submission falls within the provisions of the Standing Order.