GRENADA (GIFT OF PRESIDING OFFICER'S CHAIR) (Hansard, 17 June 1976)

§ The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Michael Foot)
I beg to move, That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty praying that Her Majesty will give directions that there be presented on behalf of this House a gift of a Presiding Officer's Chair to the Houses of Parliament of Grenada and assuring Her Majesty that this House will make good the expenses attending the same. The gift to the Houses of Parliament of Grenada follows an established and happy tradition that we sent gifts from this House to other legislatures within the Commonwealth. On 24th January 1974, 765 in reply to a Question from the then Leader of the Opposition, my right hon. Friend the Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson), about independence gifts to Grenada, the then Prime Minister, the right hon. Member for Sidcup (Mr. Heath), said that Her Majesty's Government would propose that the House should offer a parliamentary gift to the legislature of Grenada. It is that undertaking that we are now pleased to honour.
The Speaker of the Grenada House was consulted about the form of the gift and welcomed a proposal to present a presiding officer's chair. I should explain that the Grenada legislature is bicameral, with both Houses using the same Chamber on different dates. Therefore, we have accepted a suggestion of the Grenada authorities that the gift should be referred to as a presiding officer's chair rather than as a Speaker's chair. The chair has now been manufactured and has been on display in the Upper Waiting Hall of the House since 7th June for hon. Members to inspect.
If the House accepts the motion, as I am sure it will, I hope that arrangements will be made by you, Mr. Speaker, to send a small delegation from the House to present the gift early in the new year.
I commend the motion to the House in the expectation that it will be accepted as an expression of friendship and goodwill towards the Parliament of this sister Commonwealth country. In doing so, I 766 know that I shall speak for the whole House in expressing our good wishes for the future to the Parliament of Grenada.

§ Mr. William Whitelaw (Penrith and The Border)
On behalf of my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition, I should like to associate my right hon. Friends and myself with what the Leader of the House has said and warmly support his motion. We are sure that this is a wise and helpful move. We hope that the presiding officer's chair will long remain a symbol of the friendship between the peoples of our two countries.

§ Mr. Neil Marten (Banbury)
Was the design of the chair, which I have seen upstairs, approved or agreed in any way by the people or Parliament of Grenada?

§ Mr. Foot
I am not sure whether that was done or, if it was done, how, but I am sure that the proper processes were gone through.