HC Deb 28 October 1971 vol 823 cc2218-24
Mr. Speaker

I have further to acquaint the House that the Lord High Chancellor 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 and the Prince of Wales and The Princess Anne recall with pleasure our visits to Canada. We also had the pleasure of visiting Turkey this month and of welcoming to this country Their Imperial Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan.

My Government have virtually completed negotiations for British membership of the European Communities and are confident that the outstanding issues can he satisfactorily settled in the near future.

My Government welcome as Commonwealth partners Tonga, Western Samoa and Fiji.

My Ministers have contributed fully to the work of the North Atlantic Alliance, and have sought to improve relations between East and West. They welcome the progress which has been made towards more normal relations with the People's Republic of China.

The decision has been taken to retain certain British forces in South-East Asia as part of Five-Power Defence arrangements relating to Malaysia and Singapore.

My Government welcome the establishment of a new relationship with the States of Bahrain and Qatar and the progress made towards establishing the United Arab Emirates.

My Government played an active part in cyclone relief work in East Pakistan. They have since contributed generously to international relief measures for refugees in India and to the United Nations' relief efforts in East Pakistan.

My Government have played an active role in the international disarmament negotiations. They have signed the Seabed Arms Control Treaty and welcome the agreement reached in the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament on a draft convention banning biological weapons.

My Ministers have been actively seeking to find an acceptable basis for the negotiation of a just settlement of the Rhodesian problem in accordance with the Five Principles.

Measures have been announced to encourage British private investment in developing countries and the necessary steps taken to enable My Government to continue to play their full part in the work of the International Development Association.

My Ministers have begun discussions with representative groups in Northern Ireland to seek agreed ways and means within the constitutional and democratic framework of giving the minority as well as the majority community an active, permanent and guaranteed role in the life and public affairs of the Province. They have endeavoured through meetings with the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Prime Minister of the Irish Republic to create an atmosphere of greater understanding so that the process of political reconciliation may go forward to a successful outcome. I take a special pride in the skill, perseverance and restraint with which my Armed Forces are carrying out their onerous tasks in Northern Ireland.

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:

A substantial surplus has been maintained on the current account of the balance of payments; confidence in sterling has remained high; there have been substantial increases in the official reserves since June 1970 and over one thousand million pounds of official overseas debt has been repaid.

My Government have taken an active part in discussions to resolve problems of the international monetary system.

The burden of taxation has been significantly reduced, and provision has been made for a major reform of the structure of personal direct taxation. A simplified and improved system of tax allowances has been introduced for capital expenditure on plant and machinery with special treatment for the development areas. These are the first stages of a far-reaching programme to reform the tax system.

A major reorganisation of the structure of Central Government has been carried through. Special attention has been paid to improving the effectiveness of Departments and other public bodies. A Defence Procurement Executive has been established to unify defence research, development and procurement activities. Acts have been passed to establish a Civil Aviation Authority and a British Airways Board and to transfer the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's nuclear fuel and radio-chemical production business to companies set up under the Companies Acts.

Provision has been made for further assistance to the coal industry and for a fresh look at the National Coal Board's non-colliery activities.

Steps have been taken to encourage effective competition in the interests of the consumer and of industrial efficiency. A far-reaching reform of credit control techniques has been introduced.

My Government have established Rolls-Royce (1971) Limited to continue essential activities of Rolls-Royce Limited and, with the United States Government's support for the Lockheed TriStar aircraft, are assisting the new company to produce the RB.211 engine for that aircraft.

Legislation has been passed to raise the limit on guarantees under the Ship-building Credit Scheme. Special attention has been given to helping the development and intermediate areas. Further expenditure has been authorised to improve economic and social opportunities in these areas and provision has been made for higher grants to be paid to assist the improvement during the next two years of older houses and their surroundings.

Action has been taken to encourage the expansion of agriculture and changes have been made in support arrangements to strengthen the market for agricultural products and to limit the commitment of public funds.

An Act has been passed to reform and modernise the system of industrial relations. Urgent steps have been taken to improve facilities for industrial retraining and to increase the number under training.

My Government have taken active steps to improve the quality of the environment in our towns and countryside and on the coast.

Acts have been passed to protect our shores from oil pollution and to make it easier for victims of pollution to claim compensation.

Plans have been announced for a primary trunk road network built to high standards and achieving substantial environmental improvements.

The decision has been taken to build a third London Airport at Foulness.

An Act has been passed to strengthen the law relating to fire precautions in residential establishments and places of amusement and public resort.

Legislation has been passed to abolish State management for the sale and supply of intoxicating liquir in Carlisle and certain districts of Scotland.

The law on the misuse of drugs has been strengthened.

My Ministers have made important improvements in the system of social security, giving priority to those most in need. They have provided pensions for those over 80 who were not previously entitled to them and for younger widows. They have introduced a new attendance allowance for the very severely disabled and better benefits for the chronically sick and their families. Legislation has been passed to introduce family income supplements for poor families with children and to remove obsolete provisions from the social security system and prevent its exploitation.

Substantial increases in national insurance retirement pensions and related benefits took effect in September, 1971. At the same time the occupational pensions of retired members of the public services and armed forces and their dependants were increased under new arrangements designed to maintain purchasing power.

A very substantial primary school improvement programme has been launched. Acts have been passed concerning school milk and the education of mentally handicapped children previously considered unsuitable for education in school.

The recommendations for redistribution of seats made by the Boundary Commissions for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in their reports in 1969 have been implemented without modification.

An Act has been passed to extend the field from which candidates for election to local authorities may be chosen.

Legislation has been passed providing for a unified system of immigration control.

Acts have been passed to implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Assizes and Quarter Sessions and to improve the organisation of the sheriff court system in Scotland.

Further progress has been made in the systematic reform of the law and in the consolidation of enactments and repeal of obsolete statutes.

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, we do, in Her Majesty's Name and in obedience to Her Majesty's Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Tuesday, the second day of November next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to the second day of November, next.

End of First Session (opened on 29th June, 1970) of the Forty-fifth Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in the Twentieth Year of the Reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second.