This is the last day this week before the Rail Crisis for any Motion to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No.
9, for the purpose of discussing a specific matter of public and parliamentary importance that should have urgent consideration, namely,the Government's responsibilities in the Present Rail Crisis and the threatened stike action.
The hon. Gentleman gave me notice before 12 noon that he would seek leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely,the Government's responsibilities in the Present Rail Crisis and the threatened strike action.
The threatened strike by the National Union of Railwaymen is not the cause of the Rail Crisis that the country now faces.
As there will be new data because bus lanes have been withdrawn during the Present Rail Crisis, will my hon. Friend make sure that statistics on the traffic flow of buses and other vehicles during this period are compared with those for periods when the bus lanes are in operation?
Will the right hon. Gentleman not acknowledge that it is grossly misleading for the right hon. Member for Glasgow, Hillhead (Mr. Jenkins) to attempt to say that the Opposition have tried to avoid debates on the Rail Crisis?
I am drawing to the end of my comments, but I should like to refer again to the Rail Crisis.
Some hon. Members may have read an article in The Guardian last week that described the increasing concerns of the business community about the effects of the Rail Crisis on business.
Whatever the Government's failings in dealing with the Rail Crisis, is not the root cause the botched privatisation by the Conservative party?
The Liberal Democrats accept that past underinvestment, privatisation and some poor management have all undoubtedly played a part in the Current Rail Crisis.
We need to turn This Rail Crisis into an opportunity.
Following Another Rail Crisis some six years ago, it was decided to take many engineering staff in house.