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Business of the House
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8 MAY 1975
Business of the House
right hon. Friend say whether facilities will be given for a Second Reading debate on this Bill during this Parliament?
Mr. Michael McGuire: Can my right hon. Friend assure us that the long- awaited Government statement on the importation of textiles will be made next week or, if not then, before the House goes into recess? Is he aware that the need for such a statement is more urgent now than when the request was last made, following our debate of a few weeks ago? Is he aware that several mills have since closed down and many more are under threat of closure, and that if we do not get a positive statement the industry will collapse completely?
Mr. Short: I agree with my hon. Friend about the seriousness of this matter. I know of the concern of hon. Members from textile constituencies and indeed of all hon. Members about this subject. It is an extremely complex matter in which we risk retaliation. The Government have to do this most carefully. I will certainly convey what my hon. Friend has said to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and emphasise the need for a statement before the recess.
Mr. Biffen: Arising out of the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Horncastle (Mr. Tapsell), may I ask the right hon. Gentleman to acknowledge that the continued depreciation of the pound has been on such a scale that all parts of the House would welcome an early statement by the Chancellor on the Government's sterling exchange policy? Can he say whether that statement is to be part of the Chancellor's Second Read- ing speech this afternoon or will it be the subject of a separate statement early next week?
Mr. Short: I am sure that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor will have heard what has been said. I would point out that the Chancellor made a statement on this in reply to a Question last Tuesday.
Mr. Bidwell: Has the attention of my right hon. Friend been drawn to Early Day Motion No. 308? Is he aware that this Motion has 150 signatories from all parts of the House indicating good will to- wards solving the problem of the tur- banned Sikh on his motor cycle? Is my right hon. Friend aware that a devout Sikh cannot now ride a motor cycle and thereby economise on fuel? In view of this indication of widespread support, can my
24 P 24
[That this House is of the opinion that time should be allowed for debate to pro- ceed on the Motor-Cycle Crash-Helmets (Religious Exemption) Bill, awaiting a Second Reading.]
Mr. Short: I know of my hon. Friend's concern about this matter, but I am afraid that I cannot promise any time for a Second Reading debate before the Sum- mer Recess.
Mr. Peyton: Can I ask the right hon. Gentleman what arrangements he is mak- ing for a debate on the Whitsun Recess? In view of what he has said earlier about a Supply Day, may I say that if the right hon. Gentleman will arrange for an Oppo- sition Supply Day before Whitsun, we will certainly make it available for a discus- sion of the steel industry.
Mr. Short: I hope to put down the motion for the Adjournment for the recess on Tuesday of next week. I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for what he has said about the Supply Day. He knows quite well there are no such days avail- able before the recess.
Mr. Faulds: Did I hear my right hon. Friend aright-I hope I did not-when he said that he could not find time before the Summer Recess for the legislation dealing with the turbanned Sikh? Is he aware that that would be absolutely unacceptable to many of us?
Mr. Short: I said that I saw no pros- pect of providing Government time for a debate on this Bill during this Session. Many hon. Members have Private Bills. They could all come along and ask for Government support. If we gave all of them such help it would take up all of the Government's time.
Sir Frederic Bennett: Has the Leader of the House seen Early Day Motion No. 461 dealing with the plight of refugees from Vietnam, with particular reference to those for whom we have responsibility and who have been landed in Hong Kong without having been consulted? How much longer are we to wait for a state- ment on this matter? Will the right hon. Gentleman compare the silence on this matter with the almost indecent haste with
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