§ Mr. Max Madden (Bradford, West)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I regret not having the proper opportunity of giving you notice of this point of order, but I was not able until now to cancel a morning engagement to allow me to be here.
I wish to refer to the points of order that were raised last night about my hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd). I am glad that some food and drink 'was provided to her overnight. However, I understand from the Press Association tapes that the National Coal Board, which is funded by taxpayers and in theory remains accountable to the House, has again renewed its instruction that no food or drink should be supplied to my hon. Friend.
Obviously, the discharge of parliamentary duties involves proceedings in the House as well as our responsibilities in our constituencies. I would ask the National Coal Board urgently to reconsider its position, because in the past you have deprecated any action that seeks to intimidate a Member of Parliament or prevent them from discharging their duties. In this case, the action that my hon. Friend is taking is democratic and entirely peaceful. Also, under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill, which I hope does not become law, the action that she is taking could be held to be a breach of the law. That matter should also be noted.
§ Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)While I wish to associate myself with the views expressed by my hon. 536 Friend the Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden), I urge you, Madam Speaker, to inquire whether a statement on this matter will be made by the Coal Minister, in view of the fact that there is a chain of command between Parliament and British Coal, in view of the deprecatory statements that have already been made by the Coal Minister about the actions of my hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd), and taking into account the fact that, in October 1992, the then leader of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers went down a coal mine in Nottingham to a great blaze of publicity. He was supported by Tory Members; he was not condemned by the Coal Minister or any Tory Ministers. He was fed continually. The press and television were there constantly. He was sent food from Harrods. Other Tory Members of Parliament visited the mine.
The sharp contrast in the treatment that is being meted out to my hon. Friend as compared to Roy Lynk, the well-known scab, is a matter which should be debated in the House and the Minister should be brought to account. If it is good enough for the scab leader, it is right for a Member of Parliament who is representing her constituents to be treated in a proper fashion, not in the way in which British Coal is meting out such treatment.
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I think that I have heard enough points of order on the matter—we also had some last night. As I explained then, the hon. Lady has elected to take this voluntary action. She is not there on the instructions of the House or a Select Committee of the House and therefore cannot claim the privileges of the House. She is there in the capacity of a citizen who has elected to take this action. However, I certainly hope that her welfare is not neglected by the Coal Board, and I hope that my words will have been noted by the Coal Board this morning.