§ Mr. Tony Benn (Chesterfield)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,
the direct responsibility of the Government for provoking the industrial dispute in the mining industry and for the proposed strike action by nurses and others, who arc being forced to take action to protect the National Health Service.Every time that a Standing Order No. 20 application is made, hon. Members are asking you, Mr. Speaker, who have discretion, to give us the right to talk about matters of immediate concern. It is now four years since the miners' strike, and the evidence of the memoirs and other papers that have been published make it absolutely clear that the Government and Mr. MacGregor provoked the miners' strike deliberately for their own purposes.Four years later, the National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers finds that British Coal will not negotiate with it, and is therefore unilaterally in breach of the long-standing contract arrangements dealing with the conditions of NACODS members. That is the first issue. Today most of the pits are closed—I think that only two are open—and industrial action by means of an overtime ban will have a grave effect.
My second point concerns the National Health Service. After the exchanges across the Floor of the House, I do not have to emphasise the importance of the action to be taken by nurses in the Health Service on Tuesday and Wednesday. However, it is important that everyone should have the opportunity to discuss the situation before it occurs. The other day, my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Nellist) made an old point of mine: before something happens, it is hypothetical; when it happens, it is too delicate; and after it has happened it is too late. If Parliament cannot discuss matters of concern to the citizens of this country, people will not look to this House to articulate their anxieties.
The National Health Service strike on Wednesday is solely and simply the responsibility of the Government. Hon. Members who take this view should be able to express it and Ministers should be answerable for their responsibility in these matters.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe right hon. Gentleman asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 20 for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he believes should have urgent consideration, namely,
the direct responsibility of the Government for provoking the industrial dispute in the mining industry and for the proposed strike action by nurses and others, who are being forced to take action to protect the National Health Service.I have listened with great care to what the right hon. Gentleman said. I have to repeat what I said to his hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, North (Mr. McNamara). I have to have regard to the criteria laid down in the Standing Orders and I regret that I cannot submit his application to the House.