§ Mr. Robert Maclennan (Caithness and Sutherland)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 threat to the future of Ravenscraig steelworks resulting from the interruption in the supply of coking coal.The matter is specific since, following the decision of the Scottish National Union of Mineworkers on Friday to reduce the supply of coking coal to Ravenscraig to one trainload a day, the plant is now threatened.The matter is urgent because, in the words of a senior spokesman of British Steel at Ravenscraig this morning:
We are at the 59th minute of the 11th hour.Mr. Clive Lewis, the Scottish organiser of the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation, has warned:Whenever blast furnaces are banked down, extensive damage can be caused when they are re-fired. It could be that the Craig has been given the kiss of death.The matter is important because the very survival of Ravenscraig is at stake and if the cut to the supply of coking coal is continued beyond tomorrow it will, in the words of the hon. Member for Motherwell, South (Dr. Bray),be to commit industrial suicide in Scotland".The cost of repairing the damaged plant would risk handing the advocates of closure in the Government and the management of British Steel the opportunity finally to shut down Ravenscraig. The unemployment caused thereby would be calamitous.The House should have the opportunity to issue its appeal to the striking miners to stay the execution of Ravenscraig. That opportunity has so far been denied the House due to the industrial axis forged with Mr. Arthur Scargill and Mr. Mick McGahey by the leader and deputy leader of the Labour party, which has rendered the entire Labour Front Bench silent on the issue. At this fateful moment, the House must make clear where it stands and the Government must respond.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I realise that this matter affects the hon. Gentleman's constituency, but it is not possible for him to make another speech on a Standing Order No. 10 application.
The hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan) 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 threat to the future of Ravenscraig steelworks resulting from the interruption in the supply of coking coal.I have listened carefully to what the hon. Gentleman has said but regret that I do not consider the matter appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 10. I therefore cannot submit his application to the House.
§ Dr. BrayOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. When an application is made under Standing Order No. 10, is it not the practice of the House that the hon. Member for the constituency concerned should at least be informed that an hon. Member intends to make such an application? In circumstances such as this when extremely delicate issues are at stake—they are fully recognised on both sides of the House—it is the most clodhopping clumsiness for the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan) to make party political points on the matter.
§ Mr. SpeakerI very much hope that the conventions of the House will always be observed. It is perfectly true that if an hon. Member wants to raise a matter in another hon. Member's constituency he should always let that hon. Member know. I hope that that was done in this case.
§ Mr. MaclennanOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. This is not a matter that affects a single Scottish constituency. The hon. Member for Motherwell, South (Dr. Bray) knows full well that if the Labour party fails in its duty to defend a national industry of Scotland the mantle falls on others.
§ Mr. James Hamilton (Motherwell, North)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. As I represent part of Motherwell, I, too, have many constituents who work at Ravenscraig. The works is, of course, in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Motherwell, South (Dr. Bray) and the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan) does not have one constituent who works there. It is extremely doubtful whether any Social Democratic Member from Scotland represents any workers at Ravenscraig. The hon. Gentleman is a Johnniecome-lately to the problems of Ravenscraig, which we are perfectly capable of dealing with.
§ Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. You should also take into account the fact that the hon. Gentleman's constituency is at least 120 miles from Ravenscraig and that, when he is not in the House, he spends most of his time representing The Encyclopaedia Britannica, and is picking up money for it.
§ Mr. Stuart Bell (Middlesbrough)rose—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I hope that the hon. Gentleman intends to refer to the original point of order.
§ Mr. BellOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. The procedure under Standing Order No. 10 is valued by Back Benchers. Is it not wrong for an hon. Member to use that procedure for political purposes?
§ Mr. SpeakerStanding Order No. 10 is frequently used for political purposes. Nevertheless, I hope that the civilised conventions of the House will always be observed.