HC Deb 12 May 1988 vol 133 c485 4.22 pm
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones (Ynys Mon)

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 imminent loss of 200 jobs in the dairy industry in Wales, in the light of yesterday's decision on the implementation of the recent agreement between the Milk Marketing Board and the Dairy Trade Federation The matter is specific, in that it relates to the problems that have arisen over the sale of the Dairy Crest Creamery in Llangefni in my constituency. In January, Dairy Crest announced that the creamery would close on 31 March, with the loss of 46 jobs. The site has been marketed by the Welsh Development Agency on the basis that any buyer could use the site to make any products, with the exception of butter and powdered milk.

On 28 April it seemed that the deal could go through, thus saving a substantial number of jobs in my constituency, yet within 24 hours the deal was put on ice because the Dairy Trade Federation, which entered into an agreement on rationalisation with the Milk Marketing Board and which owns Dairy Crest, objected to Dairy Crest being paid compensation if it sold the site to anybody who wished to use the milk.

It is an important matter because it has critical implications for the dairy industry, in that somebody who is prepared to purchase the site is apparently being blocked, due to the industry's big boys falling out. As not only jobs but the control of the dairy sector and the distribution of milk are at stake, the House should be given an opportunity to debate it.

It is an urgent matter, because yesterday talks between the parties—the Milk Marketing Board and the Dairy Trade Federation—broke down, and unless there is an early resumption of talks aimed at a resolution of the dispute, jobs in my constituency could be in jeopardy.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for Ynys Mon (Mr. Jones) seeks 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 thinks should have urgent consideration, namely, the imminent loss of 200 jobs in the dairy industry in Wales, in the light of yesterday's decision on the implementation of the recent agreement between the Milk Marketing Board and the Dairy Trade Federation.

I have listened with concern to what the hon. Member has said, but I regret that I do not consider that the matter he has raised is appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 20. I cannot therefore submit his application to the House. I hope that he will find other ways of raising it.