HC Deb 06 March 1950 vol 472 cc37-40
Mr. Speaker

I 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 from the Throne to both Houses of Parliament, of which, I have, for greater accuracy. obtained a copy, which is as follows:

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons:

I am proud to recognise that My people, by a sustained endeavour, have increased industrial and agricultural production and thereby helped our -country forward to greater prosperity. In this task they have been greatly assisted by the help and co-operation of the Governments and peoples of 'other parts of the Commonwealth.

The world shortage of dollars, in which this country has shared, has again been eased by generous help from the United States of America and Canada. Renewed efforts will, however, be required to secure a balance in the country's overseas trade and, in particular, to increase earnings in North America.

My Government will maintain their whole-hearted support of the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation, through which it is hoped to work out a new European payments scheme.

I look forward with great pleasure to the visit of the President of the French Republic and Madame Auriol.

My Government in the United Kingdom warmly welcomed the opportunity provided by the recent meeting of Commonwealth Ministers in Colombo for a valuable exchange of views on foreign affairs. In accordance with the recommendations of the meeting, My Ministers look forward to co-operating with other Commonwealth Governments in matters of common interest in South and South-East Asia.

My Government welcome the inauguration on the 27th December last of the Republic of the United States of Indonesia as an independent sovereign state, with whom diplomatic relations have been established.

On the 6th January My Government accorded recognition to the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China.

On the 7th February My Government granted recognition to the States of Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia, as associate states within the French Union.

My Government will continue to give full support to the United Nations, for it is only through an effective system of security that world peace can he assured. In particular, they will use their utmost endeavours, through the United Nations, to assist in finding a durable solution of the tremendous problem of atomic energy so that international agreement for adequate control and supervision of the production of atomic energy may be secured.

My Government will do their utmost to ensure the success of the Council of Europe.

The formation of a Federal German Government has made possible a progressive transfer of responsibilities from the Western Allies to the Germans. As a result My Government have been able to make substantial reductions in the cost of their administration in Germany.

My Ministers will maintain the closest relations with the other Powers signatory to the North Atlantic and Brussels Treaties, and will play their due part, in collaboration with the other Powers, in strengthening common means of defence. My Government will continue to take all necessary steps to ensure that My Armed Forces are ready to meet their responsibilities in all parts of the world. The new organisation of Civil Defence will he developed.

My Government are actively promoting the economic and social development of the Colonial territories, and the Colonial Development Corporation is proving a useful instrument to this end.

Members of the House of Commons:

The Estimates for the public services will be laid before you in due course.

You will be asked to approve orders making certain changes in the Customs Tariff arising from the agreements which My Government concluded last summer at the meeting at Annecy, at which the Governments of the Commonwealth were represented.

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons:

The economic difficulties of this country have emphasised the need for renewed effort to expand the production of food from our own soil, and My Government will continue to take all practical steps to encourage our agricultural population to increase output by every efficient means and to make better use of marginal land. The improvement of water supplies, particularly in rural areas, will continue to occupy the attention of My Ministers and preparatory steps will be taken with a view to the introduction of legislation as soon as circumstances permit.

In view of the restricted time available and the heavy volume of financial business to be transacted, My Government propose only a limited programme of legislation for the present Session. Nevertheless, should other measures prove in their view to be immediately necessary for the maintenance of full employment and the national well-being, My Ministers will not hesitate to submit them to Parliament, even though they may seem likely to prove contentious.

Bills will be laid before you to amend the law relating to allotments in England and Wales and in Scotland.

A Bill will be laid before you to amend the Medical Acts so as to raise the standard of medical education and to modify the constitution and disciplinary procedure of the General Medical Council. Legislation will also be introduced to vary the constitution of the Central Midwives Boards and to make other alterations in the law relating to midwives.

A measure will be laid before you to provide a uniform code for regulating the breaking-up of streets by public utility undertakings; also a measure to empower highway authorities to place and maintain cattle grids in highways.

You will be invited to pass a Bill to regulate and improve the living conditions of the crews of fishing trawlers.

You will be asked to approve legislation giving further encouragement to the transfer of industrial undertakings to the development areas.

On receipt of a further report from the committee which is examining the law relating to leasehold, My Ministers will consider what legislation can be introduced to amend the law in respect of residential and business premises.

Other measures will be laid before you if time permits; and it is hoped to make further progress with the consolidation and revision of the Statute Law.

I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsels.