HC Deb 23 October 1958 vol 592 cc1886-90

Message to attend the Lords Commissioners:

The House went:—and, having returned—

Mr. Speaker

I have to acquaint the House that the House has been to the House of Peers, where a Commission under the Great Seal was read. The Lord High Chancellor, being one of the Royal Commissioners, delivered Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, in pursuance of Her Majesty's Commands, as follows:

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons:

My Dear Husband and I derived great pleasure from our visit to the Netherlands in March.

I was pleased to welcome to this country the President of Italy and Signora Gronchi, and the President of the Federal Republic of Germany.

I rejoice that the relations between this country and the United States of America are growing continually closer. My Government welcome the agreement concluded with the Government of the United States for co-operation on the development of modern weapons for purposes of collective defence.

My Government have continued to support the work of the United Nations Organisation. They have maintained their efforts to bring about further progress towards disarmament.

My Government have continued to play their full part in the North Atlantic Alliance and the other regional pacts to which they belong.

In response to an appeal by the Jordanian Government certain of My Forces were despatched to Amman to preserve the territorial integrity and political independence of the country. A few days earlier, United States Forces had landed in the Lebanon in response to a similar appeal from the Lebanese President and My Government had fully supported this action. My Government made it clear to the United Nations that British Forces would be withdrawn from Jordan either at the request of the legitimate Government or when satisfactory arrangements to preserve Jordanian independence had been made under United Nations auspices. As a result of action taken in the United Nations to improve relations between all the Arab States, My Government have agreed with the Jordanian Government that My Forces should be withdrawn and this withdrawal is now taking place.

My Government took part in the Conference at Geneva on the Law of the Sea and have signed the resulting Conventions on the régime of the high seas, the territorial sea, the continental shelf and fishery conservation. They have continued their efforts to negotiate a settlement with Iceland about fishery limits and have offered to submit the issue to the International Court of Justice. Meanwhile they are affording protection to British vessels engaged in fishing in the high seas around Iceland.

The enthusiastic welcome which My Dear Mother received during her recent visit to Australia and New Zealand has been a great joy to Me. The Federation of the West Indies was established in January of this year and in April My Dear Sister represented Me at the inauguration in Trinidad of the Federal Legislature. She subsequently visited Guiana and British Honduras. More recently she has visited Canada. I was happy to hear from her of the warmth and loyalty with which she was greeted everywhere.

My Government welcomed the opportunity for constructive partnership offered by the recent Commonwealth Trade and Economic Conference at Montreal. This meeting emphasised the important role which the countries of the Commonwealth are playing in measures directed towards the expansion of the world economy and the improvement of living standards.

The cordial reception given to My Prime Minister during his tour of India, Pakistan, Ceylon, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia afforded Me great satisfaction. The many discussions which he had with statesmen in these countries served to strengthen still further the ties of friendship within the Commonwealth.

My Government have persevered in their efforts to overcome the obstacles to a settlement in Cyprus; and My Forces are discharging their unhappy task in the Island with courage and integrity in the face of great difficulties.

During the year an Act was passed enabling provision to be made for the grant of a new constitution to Singapore and for the extension of Commonwealth citizenship to all its citizens.

An Order in Council has been made providing for an all-African Executive Council in Sierra Leone under the presidency of the Governor.

Members of the House of Commons:

I thank you for the provision which you have made for the public services.

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons:

The constant endeavour of My Ministers to strengthen the economy has improved our balance of payments and fortified our reserves, while maintaining a high and stable level of employment for My People and securing greater stability in the value of their money. Additional legislation has been enacted with a view to increasing employment in particular areas.

Measures have been taken to remove controls over the supply and retail prices of coal and over iron and steel scrap prices; to revise and codify the law relating to import duties; and to establish a Conservancy Board at Milford Haven.

My Government have continued to support home agriculture in accordance with the long-term assurances given to the industry, and have provided further assistance for the fishing industry. Legislation has been passed to repeal the disciplinary powers of the State over owners and occupiers of agricultural land and to modify the law relating to security of tenure and the arbitration of rents on tenanted farms. An Act has been passed to facilitate the drainage of agricultural land in Scotland. Fresh provision has been made with respect to the licensing and regulation of slaughterhouses in England and Wales.

Acts have been passed to bring to an end certain emergency powers, notably those dealing with land used for defence purposes and opencast coal production, and to replace them, so far as necessary, with more limited permanent powers.

In accordance with the resolve of My Ministers to improve the institutions of government, machinery has been established by statute for re-organising local government in England and Wales.

Changes have also been made in the rating system and in the system of Exchequer grants to local authorities throughout Great Britain.

A measure has been passed to permit the creation of life Peerages for men and women, carrying the right to sit and vote in the House of Lords. Improvements have also been made in the law relating to the redistribution of seats in the House of Commons.

Measures have been taken to give effect to the majority of the recommendations of the Committee on Administrative Tribunals and Enquiries.

The social welfare of My People has continued to be the special care of My Government. War pensions have been raised; retirement pensions and other benefits under the National Insurance and Industrial Injuries Schemes have been increased; and improvements have been made in the scales of National Assistance. An Act has also been passed to improve the arrangements for the industrial rehabilitation, training and resettlement of disabled persons.

Legislation has been enacted to alleviate possible hardship to tenants of certain dwelling-houses released from control.

The Maintenance Orders Act will achieve a useful measure of social reform in England and Wales by facilitating the enforcement of maintenance orders while at the same time reducing the number of men committed to prison in default of payment.

Important reforms affecting the welfare of children are being effected by an Act amending the law of adoption and making fresh provision for the supervision of those who take children into their care for payment.

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons:

I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may attend you.

Then a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read;

After which the Lord Chancellor said: My Lords and Members of the House of Commons: By virtue of Her Majesty's Commission under the Great Seal to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in Her Majesty's Name and in obedience to Her Majesty's Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Tuesday, the twenty-eighth day of October, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty-Eight, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued until Tuesday the twenty-eighth day of October, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty-Eight.

End of the Third Session (opened 5th November, 1957) of the Forty-first Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.