§ Mr. David Amess (Basildon)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 attention, namely,
the encouragement of young people to go on strike in our schools tomorrow.All hon. Members accept and understand the legal obligations on children to attend school. Indeed, all parents accept them, too. Local education authorities provide the means for the education of our children. However, it has come to my attention that adults are encouraging schoolchildren to play truant from school tomorrow. Several Young Socialists recently attended my constituency surgery in Basildon and proudly told me that they had been distributing leaflets and posters in my constituency about the strike tomorrow. When I told them that I suspected that this strike was one of the few which the Labour party would not be supporting and that I suspected it would be the Militant Tendency Members who would support it, they said that it was nice to know that there were at least a few decent Members of Parliament left.I have received many anxious telephone calls from parents, who are greatly worried about the situation. I seek to move the Adjournment of the House in a spirit of helpfulness. I wish to help the Labour party. I believe that if we—
§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. Harold Walker)Order. The hon. Gentleman cannot move the Adjournment of the House in that spirit. He must have regard to the Standing Order, which requires him to tell the House why it is a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration
§ Mr. AmessIf an Adjournment debate were held on the subject, it would give the Leader of the Opposition and the Labour Front Bench an opportunity to state clearly where the Labour party stands. The county council election is to take place on Thursday 2 May, and many people wish to decide for whom they will vote on the crucial matter of education.
I believe that all hon. Members and parents would welcome a debate on this subject, and I hope, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that you will allow it to take place
§ Mr. Deputy SpeakerThe hon. Member for Basildon (Mr Amess) 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 encouragement of young people to go on strike in our schools tomorrow.I listened with care 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