§ Mr. David Winnick accordingly presented a Bill to provide for persons employed at the Government Communications Headquarters to have the right to belong to an independent trade union of their choice; arid for connected purposes: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time upon 17 May and to be printed. [Bill 103.]
§ Mr. Bruce Grocott (The Wrekin)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. As there has been a dramatic change of mood in the House since the ban on the trade unionists at CGHQ took place and there is now a universal desire to have trade union rights there re-established, and as the Bill will now go through the House unopposed and with the support of the Government, will you advise us how we can enable this simple and uncontrovercial measure to pass quickly through the House?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) has named 17 May. We cannot do much about that.
§ Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. As you know, when ten-minute Bills are spoken against, they should be followed by a vote. The principle is simple. If an hon. Member declares that he wishes to speak against such a Bill but does not vote, he could, in some circumstances, deprive another Member of the opportunity of opposing the Bill who wanted to vote.
When the two voices on the Conservative Benches said, "No," including that of the hon. Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) who spoke against the Bill, it was noticeable to all hon. Members that the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton), a Government Whip, went across to those two hon. Members and convinced them not to vote. It is almost certain, Mr. Speaker, that we would have won a handsome victory, which would have been clear in the Lobbies. I fear that, on the day set down for the Second Reading, a Tory Whip will rise in his place on the Government Front Bench, object to the Bill, and kill it. We need the power to carry the Bill through into legislation.
§ Mr. Winnickrose——
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) is wrong to say that opposition to the Bill must be carried to a Division. That is not so. However, if a right hon. or hon. Member seeks to oppose a Bill, he must say the word "No" when I put the Question, and that was done. It is not always necessary to have a Division, as the hon. Member knows from frequent occasions in the past. Furthermore, I cannot be held responsible for what is said in private conversations.
§ Mr. Bill WalkerOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Will you confirm that it is in order for a right hon. or hon. Member to enter the Chamber to hear the case that is being made for a Bill before making up his mind whether or not he should oppose that particular Bill? I listened carefully to the speech of the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick), and anyone who listened to my own will have realised that I was opposing his Bill. That is exactly what I set out to do, on the basis of his remarks.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member is right. I would normally receive prior notification that a Bill was to be opposed, but I did not receive such notification today.
§ Mr. WinnickFurther to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. You have often stated that the ten-minute Bill procedure should not be abused. On the last occasion that I raised a point of order on that subject, you confirmed that my remarks were correct. Is it right for a right hon. or hon. Member to oppose a Bill but not to force a vote? Even more important is the fact that we all saw the Government Whip approach the two Conservative Members concerned and tell them not to force a Division. Those two hon. Members are guilty of being spineless and behaved despicably.
§ Mr. SpeakerI do not know what the hon. Member is so concerned about. After all, his Bill obtained an unopposed Second Reading. What is he worried about?
§ Mr. Donald Thompson (Calder Valley)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. The incident to which the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) referred was not obvious to all. It seemed to me that my hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton) was merely seeking the opinions of my hon. Friends the Members for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) and for Harlow (Mr. Hayes).
§ Mr. SpeakerI have no idea what happened.