§ Mr. Conal Gregory (York)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 disruption of rail transport emanating from Yorkshire owing to secondary picketing related to the current miners' dispute.Secondary picketing by rail union militants in Yorkshire today has caused widespread disruption of public transport. These hard-line Left wingers, acting without any democratic mandate, do not serve the best interests of the railway industry, in which the Government authorised investment of £328 million last year.The action today, which has disrupted all direct traffic on the east coast mainline, is the most serious to date. Such railwaymen—if they can be called that—are putting the plans for electrification in jeopardy and will cause even more passengers to switch to other forms of transport. I thwarted their intentions and, having left York at 8.45 this morning, arrived at the House about six hours later. Other passengers may be less persistent.
How can British Rail achieve better productivity and efficiency, responding positively to the Government, who have sanctioned over £2,000 million of investment since May 1979, when undemocratic militants take secondary picketing action?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman 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 disruption of rail transport in Yorkshire owing to secondary picketing related to the current miners' dispute.I listened carefully to what the hon. Gentleman said, but I regret that I do not consider that the matter that he has raised is appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 10 and I cannot, therefore submit his application to the House.