British Alcan (Redundancies) (Hansard, 8 February 1983)

§ Mr. Harry Ewing (Stirling, Falkirk and Grangemouth)

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 decision announced this morning by British Alcan to declare redundant 730 employees at the Falkirk rolling mill in my constituency, and a further 600 in other parts of the United Kingdom. The importance of the matter is obvious because 730 people, together with their families, now see their lives in ruins as a result of that announcement. Added to the 730 directly affected will be another 300 people in my constituency, together with their families—and that in an area which, during the past few years, has suffered thousands upon thousands of job losses.

The urgency of the matter is also obvious. Surely there can be nothing more urgent for the attention of the House than the misery and human wreckage arising from this morning's announcement.

Specifically, the Government—through the Secretary of State for Scotland—have been deeply involved in all the events leading to this industrial and human disaster. The Secretary of State should be made to account to the House for his actions. I understand that the decision was discussed between him, his Under-Secretary and British Alcan during the past few weeks. That makes the Government's involvement all the more intimate.

I shall list briefly three examples of the right hon. Gentleman's involvement. I draw the attention of the House to the fact that in December 1981 and January 1982 the right hon. Gentleman accepted the closure of the British Aluminium smelter at Invergordon. He also negotiated a deal with that company that left it with a profit of £21 million of taxpayers' money. To justify that deal to the House, the right hon. Gentleman said that he was satisfied that the deal was necessary to safeguard the remainder of the jobs in British Aluminium in Scotland, and especially in Falkirk. As it happens, that assurance was not worth the paper on which it was written.

In November last year, only three months ago, Alcan announced its bid for the shares of British Aluminium. The Secretary of State met the chief executive of Alcan, Mr. George Russell, to discuss the proposed takeover. Following that meeting, he announced that he was 904 satisfied that the takeover would be in the best interests of the aluminium industry in Scotland. I put it to you, Mr. Speaker, that the granting of the application would give the Secretary of State the opportunity to tell the House whether he is still satisfied.

Two weeks ago, when the Secretary of State—through his Under-Secretary—pushed through the House the order to derate external plant and machinery in Scotland, I warned him of the devastating job loss effect the order would have on industries, other than the petrochemical industry, in the central region in general and in Falkirk in particular, as a direct result of those other industries being forced by the Secretary of State to pay much higher rates. For British Alcan at Falkirk, the increase was £40,000 a year.

From what I have said, Mr. Speaker, you will no doubt appreciate that the Government, and especially the Secretary of State for Scotland, should be called to account to the House for their part in bringing about the substantial job losses in Falkirk. In those circumstances, I seek the Adjournment of the House.