§ Dr. Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Port Glasgow)I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 10, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely,
the announcement made one and a half hours ago of the cancellation by Britoil of its contract with Scott Lithgow for the construction of a semi-submersible drilling rig.This is a specific matter in that the cancellation of this order will lead inevitably to the loss of about 4,000 jobs at Scott Lithgow in my constituency, where male unemployment is running at approximately 20 per cent. I believe that that is a conservative estimate.This is an urgent matter as the contract must be renegotiated within the next two or three weeks or be lost for ever. Ministers must involve themselves in the efforts to avoid such an outcome, which would be disastrous for the lower Clyde, for Scotland and for mainland Britain as a whole.
This is an important matter because job losses will not be confined to the 4,000 people at Scott Lithgow. Furthermore, the United Kingdom's involvement in offshore technology would receive a severe setback if Britoil were to cancel this order and go cap in hand to south-east Asia for a replacement drilling rig.
I hope, Mr. Speaker, that you will give sympathetic consideration to my request.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member asked leave of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely,
the announcement made one and a half hours ago of the cancellation by Britoil of its contract with Scott Lithgow for the construction of a semi-submersible drilling rig.I have listened most carefully to what the hon. Member said, but I regret that I do not consider that the matter is appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 10. I cannot, therefore, submit his application to the House. However, he will know that there are other opportunities for him to raise that matter—perhaps even today.
§ Mr. Donald Dewar (Glasgow, Garscadden)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate what you have just said in terms of the criteria that you must apply to Standing Order No. 10 applications and the opportunities of raising that matter in other ways. I am sure that you appreciate that those other ways will not be directed to a Minister who is departmentally responsible for the crisis facing Scott Lithgow. This is a real crisis, with 4,000 jobs at stake, and the future of Britain's part in a key area of high technology in the North sea is at risk. Is it possible, therefore, to ensure that before we rise for the Christmas recess—if we do not have action by then, I fear that we shall drift into an ultimate disaster from which we cannot recover—a responsible Minister either from the Scottish Office or the Department of Trade and Industry will appear before the House to reassure us that Ministers are acting and are not really standing by as concerned, but ineffective, spectators?
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder, I see that the Leader of the House and a Scottish Minister are on the Front Bench, and I am sure that what the hon. Mernber has said has been heard.
§ Mr. Bruce Millan (Glasgow, Govan)On a further point of order, Mr. Speaker. I appeal to the Leader of the 31 House to make some response to my hon. Friend's point of order. So far, we have only had a gratuitous comment, from the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry during Question Time last week. He made a rather offensive and inaccurate comment about Scott Lithgow. This is a matter of extreme urgency. If nothing is done this week, the contract will be lost. More than 4,000 jobs are at stake, and I appeal to the Leader of the House to make a response and to promise us a statement by the appropriate Minister tomorrow.
§ The Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. John Biffen)I am sure that that matter can be pursued through the usual channels.
§ Mr. Roland Boyes (Houghton and Washington)On a further point of order, Mr. Speaker. On two occasions I have raised the subject of the possible shooting of the women at Greenham common, and the Secretary of State has made no statement on that matter. I am looking for your guidance, Mr. Speaker. How does one—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I can help the hon. Member. He does not really need my guidance. The are opportunities today when he might be able to raise that matter.