§ Mr. John Smith (Monklands, East)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 he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely,
the failure of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to announce the date for the decision for the future of Leyland Bus.During trade and industry questions today, Ministers were repeatedly asked when a decision on the future of Leyland Bus would be announced. Ministers constantly refused to give any date. What worries hon. Members, especially those who represent constituencies with thousands of workers in Leyland Bus, is that the Government's plan may be to delay any announcement until the House rises and to make an announcement during the Parliamentary recess.This is a specific matter because it relates to British Leyland. Naturally, it is important. Thousands of jobs are at stake. If British Leyland is sold to the Laird group on the basis of the Laird group, which is a small bus producer, acquiring a large market share, it will be a bad day for British industry.
It is important that we should have an opportunity to debate this matter, especially in view of the fact that we have not debated Leyland Bus in the context of previous debates. It may be that the Government have an ambition in mind that is not consistent with proper parliamentary scrutiny of this vital industrial matter.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe right hon. and learned Member for Monklands, East (Mr. Smith) has asked 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 failure of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to announce the date for the decision for the future of Leyland Bus.I have listened with care to what the right hon. and learned Member said. As he knows, my sole duty in considering an application under Standing Order No. 10 is to decide whether to give it priority over the business already set down for this evening or for tomorrow. I regret that I cannot find that the matter that the right hon. and learned Member has raised should be discussed under Standing Order No. 10 and, therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.