§ Mr. Alan Meale (Mansfield)I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 20, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely,
British Coal's decision in Nottinghamshire to reject the financial bid by a consortium of housing associations for the remaining tenanted homes in Nottinghamshire which British Coal currently ownsAbout 2,000 homes and 3,500 people, mainly retired mining employees, are involved in this. The matter is urgent because, as I said during points of order in the House on Friday, the Secretary of State for Energy should have instructed British Coal to accept the consortium's bid of £7 million in the interests of the people who live in those houses. Late yesterday, British Coal decided to reject that offer. It is the third time that British Coal has turned down offers for those homes, with bids from the housing associations ranging from £5 million to the present offer of more than £7 million.It is important that we discuss the matter, because more than 90 per cent. of those who live in the houses are over 65 years of age. They have given their lives to the coal industry and now face the prospect of private landlords, whose record in connection with former British Coal housing stock is deplorable. Hon. Members on both sides of the House know that these tenants are seriously worried. Recent reports from the Nottinghamshire Federation of Coal Tenants and Shelter tell a sorry tale of bad landlords, intimidation and lack of repairs to properties. Those people have the right to security in old age in their homes.
An Adjournment of the House to discuss the matter fully would stop the mass sale of those homes to private speculators, who have shown their lack of care for the tenants involved.
§ 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 believes should have urgent consideration, namely,
the decision of British Coal to turn down a bid of £7 million made by a consortium of housing associations to buy the remaining homes which it currently owns and rents in Nottinghamshire.I have listened carefully to what the hon. Gentleman has said, but I regret that the matter which he has raised is not appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 20 and I cannot, therefore, submit his application to the House.