§ Mr. Martin J. O'Neill (Clackmannan)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 National Coal Board's announcement of the closure of Polmaise Colliery in my constituency.This is an important issue because the pit at present employs 250 men, almost all of whom live in the village of Fallin, which adjoins the mine. I say "at present" because it had been assumed that when the mine went into full production, a further 400 men would have to be recruited.The matter is urgent because unless the NCB is forced to change its mind, a long and damaging struggle could ensue, with consequences for good relations in the Scottish coalfield. The matter is absolutely important for the United Kingdom coal industry because the reasons given by the NCB for the closure are threefold; geological difficulties, marketing problems and the economic situation of the industry. This is the first time since the publication of "Plan for Coal" that the last two reasons for closure have been advanced. It has always been assumed that the combination of geological faulting and exhaustion of resources were the only two factors that would be taken into account.
The announcement today could be the death knell for the village of Fallin, the end of a long and illustrious tradition of coal mining in Stirlingshire and mark the beginning of the end of the coal industry in Scotland, because if this pit is closed, no mine in Scotland will be safe.
All of these prospects could be avoided if the House had the opportunity to debate this significant announcement today and could afford the Secretary of State for Energy the opportunity to dissociate the Government from the intentions of the NCB and to protect what is still our basic energy resource. I therefore ask you, Mr. Speaker, to view this application sympathetically.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member for Clackmannan (Mr. O'Neill) asks 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 National Coal Board's announcement of its intention to close Polmaise Colliery in his constituency.I must tell the hon. Member what I told the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley), that having listened carefully to what he said, I regret that I do not consider that the matter is appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 10, and I cannot, therefore, submit his application to the House.
§ Mr. Stanley Orme (Salford, East)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Have you received any intimation from the Department of Energy that a statement might be made on this issue?
§ Mr. SpeakerI have not, but I have no doubt that the point will have been noted by those on the Government Front Bench.