§ Mr. SPEAKERI have to acquaint the House that this House has this day attended His Majesty in the House of Peers, and His Majesty was pleased to make a Most Gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, of which for greater accuracy, I have obtained a copy, which is as followeth:
§ My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
§ My relations with foreign Powers continue to be friendly.
§ In accordance with the conclusions reached by the Conference at Lausanne, a World Economic Conference is to be convened by the League of Nations and will be held in London as soon as possible next year. It is My earnest hope that the Conference will be able to reach agreement on the measures required to deal with the causes which have brought about the present economic and financial difficulties of the world.
§ The Conference for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments now sitting at Geneva embodies the hope and the effort of mankind to reach the greatest measure of general disarmament that can be attained. My Government will continue, in full co-operation with all the other members of the Conference, to work for an international convention which will be a foundation for a lasting peace.
§ My Ministers and other Members of both your Houses are meeting in conference representatives of the Indian States and of British India. They hope thereafter to place before you proposals for further constitutional development in India. The decisions to be taken will be of great moment to the whole of My Empire, and I shall watch your deliberations with deep interest.
§ Members of the House of Commons,
§ The Estimates for the Public Service will be laid before you in due course.
§ My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
§ Although the various conversion schemes which have been successfully 6 carried through offer the prospect of large reductions in the service of the National Debt, it is still necessary to exercise careful supervision over public expenditure, both national and local.
§ The measures already taken to assist British industry in the home market and to improve our markets overseas have created a. feeling of greater confidence. My Government will continue to do everything in their power to stimulate the recovery of trade.
§ Agriculture has long been depressed by the general fall in the wholesale prices of its products. My Ministers recognise that though the measures recently taken in regard to meat and other products have been of real assistance to producers, further plans are necessary to enable agriculture as a whole to take its proper place in the economy of the nation. While the restoration of prosperity to agriculture. cannot be expected until wholesale prices have risen to a more normal level, My Government believe that the various steps which they have taken, combined with action upon the investigations concluded, or still proceeding, will enable the industry to put itself in a position to take full advantage of a return to more favourable conditions.
§ Large numbers of My people are still unable to find employment and the persistence of this situation causes Me the greatest anxiety. Unemployment as we have known it for some years is undoubtedly the gravest of our social problems. In particular I am distressed that many young men and women have never in their lives had an opportunity of regular employment.
§ In the view of My Ministers any provision for unemployed persons should not only afford material assistance but should also lye designed to maintain their morale and their fitness to resume work when opportunities can he found. My Government intend to bring forward Measures dealing comprehensively with Unemployment insurance and with the treatment of those unable to obtain work, and the considerations 7 I have mentioned will be borne in mind in framing their proposals.
§ Bills relating to Scotland will be introduced to amend the procedure governing private legislation, to facilitate the administration of civil justice, and for other purposes.
§ Measures dealing with Rent Restriction, London Passenger Transport, and other matters of importance will be introduced and proceeded with as time and opportunity offer.
§ I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your labours.