§ Mr. Frank Field (Birkenhead)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 proposed closure of Cammell Laird.It is specific because only hours ago men and women who work there were told that their ranks would be attacked by wave upon wave of unemployment until July next year when the yard will close.It is urgent because Cammell Laird is the foothold to the future, not just for my constituents in Birkenhead, not just for those who live in Merseyside, but in the north-west region generally. Without that centre of skill that foothold to the future will be denied to us.
It is important to remind the House that already in my constituency and that of my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Ms. Eagle) some areas already have an unemployment rate of 40 per cent. If this proposed closure goes through those rates will be compounded and it is an important matter because Cammell Laird is to British industry what a barium meal is to X-ray. It can highlight those aspects of national life which are life-threatening.
Today we are not only fighting for our jobs, but we fight to prevent another hammer blow against British industry. I seek the Adjournment of the House so that I and the friends of Cammell Laird in the House may begin the debate today and make a plea that the assets of this shipyard, which were bought from us taxpayers for a single pound, be returned and, secondly, that some of the very substantial profits that Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd has made in the past five years should be given as an endowment fund for a new company at Lairds.
We want in that debate to set out how we wish to attract the entrepreneurial skills so that there is a future rather than an end for Cammell Laird. We should like the opportunity in that debate to invite the Government to say how they would support us in that endeavour.
I do not need to remind you, Madam Speaker, representing the constituency that you do, what it is like for workers to be part of an industry and a firm that is dying around them. Today Cammell Laird has been told that it should quietly die in July. We have no intention of accepting that option. We seek your leave to move the Adjournment so that we can debate what that future will be. We believe it is right that that debate should take place and our plan for action given.
§ Madam SpeakerI have listened most carefully to what the hon. Member said and of course I have to give my decision without stating any reasons. I am afraid that I do not think that the matter he has raised is appropriate for discussion under Standing Order 20 and I cannot therefore submit his application to the House.