Commons Sitting of 25 October 1968

Preamble
The House met at a Quarter to Eleven o'clock
PRAYERS
[Mr. SPEAKER in the Chair]

ROYAL ASSENT
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, giving the Royal Assent to:

1. Civil Aviation Act 1968.

2. Clean Air Act 1968.

3. Domestic and Appellate Proceedings (Restriction of Publicity) Act 1968.

4. Civil Evidence Act 1968.

5. Gaming Act 1968.

6. Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1968.

7. Medicines Act 1968.

8. Design Copyright Act 1968.

9. Justices of the Peace Act 1968.

10. Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1968.

11. Race Relations Act 1968.

12. Town and Country Planning Act 1968.

13. Transport Act 1968.

14. Newcastle upon Tyne Corporation Act 1968.

PROROGATION

  HER MAJESTY'S MOST GRACIOUS SPEECH
  Mr. Speaker: I have further to acquaint the House that the Lord High Chancellor, being one of the High 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 Husband and I were glad to welcome to this country the President of the Republic of Turkey.
  My Government have contributed positively to the wide-ranging work of the United Nations. They have been active in seeking a settlement to the dispute between the Arab States and Israel. They tabled the Security Council Resolution on the Middle East which was unanimously adopted in November 1967.
  My Ministers have welcomed the opening of discussions in Paris which they hope will lead to the end of the Vietnam conflict.
  My Ministers played a leading part in negotiations which led to the successful conclusion of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and have made proposals for further measures of disarmament.
  My Government have maintained their application for membership of the European Communities and regret that the attitude adopted by one of the present members of the Communities has so far prevented the opening of negotiations.
  My Government have announced their intention of withdrawing British forces from Malaysia, Singapore and the Persian Gulf by the end of 1971. They intend that over the next few years there should be a measure of redeployment of national resources and that Britain's defence effort should in future be concentrated mainly in Europe and the North Atlantic area. My Ministers took part in a successful conference with Ministers of Australia,

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  New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore in Kuala Lumpur, where the problems arising from that decision were considered.
  My Government have continued to play their full part in the North Atlantic Alliance. They expressed their condemnation of the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Soviet Union and some of its allies in violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
  My Government worked for and welcomed the restoration of diplomatic relations with the United Arab Republic, the Somali Republic, Sudan, Guinea, Algeria, Mali, Mauritania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville), Iraq and Tanzania.
  My Government have continued to seek to bring about a return to constitutional rule in Rhodesia in accordance with the multi-racial principles approved by Parliament. To this end they have co-operated with other members of the United Nations in giving effect to the Security Council Resolution of 29th May. Proposals for a settlement were communicated to Mr. Smith during the recent discussions at Gibraltar, and his reply is now being studied.
  Three of our overseas territories became independent in the last 12 months—Mauritius, Swaziland, and Aden (as part of the People's Republic of Southern Yemen). Both Mauritius and Swaziland remained in the Commonwealth. A revised Constitution was introduced in Seychelles.
  Last November, at the invitation of My Government in Malta, My Husband and I visited Malta and renewed our happy memories of My People in Malta and Gozo. In April of this year My Government in the United Kingdom welcomed the successful settlement, to which they made an important contribution, of the Malta Dockyard ownership problem.
  My Government welcome the improvement in relations between the parties to the Cyprus dispute.
  Despite economic difficulties, My Government have sustained their programme of aid to less developed countries.
  The announced reductions in the size of the Services will mean the retirement of some officers and men and lead to the disappearance of some famous regiments. I am deeply grateful to all those concerned for their distinguished and selfless service. The need for recruits for the Forces, however, remains as pressing as ever, and My Government will not relax their efforts in this field.
  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
  Following the devaluation of sterling in November 1967, My Government have taken the measures necessary to ensure a progressive improvement in the balance of payments and to maintain the strength of sterling at its new parity.
  My Government have taken an active part in international discussions about reform of the international monetary system. Agreement has been reached with members of the sterling area and members of the Bank for International Settlements on arrangements to consolidate the stability of sterling.
  A further Act has been passed to provide support for the productivity, prices and incomes policy.
  The growth of industry in the development areas has been encouraged and special measures have been taken to reduce the impact of colliery closures in these areas.
  An Act has been passed to provide for a better integration of road and rail transport and to promote higher standards in the road transport industry. The Act will also enable improvements to be made in traffic management and the financial and other arrangements for the railways and nationalised inland waterways.
  An Act has been passed to promote industrial expansion by enabling My Government to assist projects likely to benefit the economy.
  Legislation has been passed to assist the exploitation of natural gas from the North Sea.
  Major new developments have been promoted in the production in the United Kingdom of primary aluminium.
  Legislation has been passed to strengthen the law on misleading trade descriptions and on restrictive trade practices.
  Legislation has been passed to clarify the law in its application to hovercraft; and to enable further measures to be taken to control aircraft noise and supersonic flight.
  An Act has been passed enabling provisional action in accordance with international agreement to be taken against dumping.
  My Government took steps to stamp out the very serious epidemic of foot and mouth disease and to ensure that the forms affected could resume production on a sound basis.
  An Act has been passed to enable additional payments to be made to tenant farmers whose land is needed for development, to safeguard the welfare of farm animals, and for other agricultural purposes.
  My Government have taken steps to protect the most vulnerable members of the community from the effects of price increases by improving supplementary benefits, rate rebates and family allowances.
  Legislation has been passed to promote the better provision and development of health and welfare services; and to make new comprehensive arrangements for controlling the safety, quality and description of medicines.
  Legislation has been passed to establish a comprehensive social work service in Scotland; and appropriate provision has been made wherever necessary in other Acts to meet distinctive Scottish needs.
  An Act has been passed to improve the government of colleges and special schools.
  My Ministers have continued the revision of the machinery of government to meet the changing requirements which are placed upon it. The Foreign Office and Commonwealth
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  Office have been merged. An Order has been made for the amalgamation of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Security. My Government have welcomed the report of the Fulton Committee on the Civil Service; and an Order has been laid before you for the transfer of the necessary functions to a new Civil Service Department which will be closely engaged in the reshaping of the Civil Service following the recommendations of the Committee.
  An Act has been passed providing for more effective planning control of development in England and Wales and for increased public participation in local planning.
  Legislation has been passed to establish a Countryside Commission, to provide for the conservation of the countryside and for greater opportunities for leisure and recreation there; and for the appointment of a Welsh Committee of the Commission.
  An Act has been passed strengthening control over immigration from other parts of the Commonwealth.
  An Act has been passed to make discrimination on racial grounds unlawful in employment, housing and the provision of goods, facilities and services, and to encourage the development of harmonious community relations.
  An Act has been passed to reform the law on gaming and to strengthen control over commercial gaming clubs and gaming machines.
  Further progress has been made in the systematic reform of the law, including that relating to theft, evidence and justices of the peace in England and Wales and to succession and evidence in Scotland.
  My Lords and Members of the House of Commons
  I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may attend you.
  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

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  Name and in obedience to Her Majesty's Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Wednesday the thirtieth day of October, one thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued until Wednesday, the thirtieth day of October, one thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight."
  End of the Second Session (opened on 31st October, 1967) of the Forty-fourth Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in the Seventeenth Year of the Reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second.