HC Deb 22 October 1991 vol 196 cc843-6
Mr. Speaker

I have further to acquaint the House that the Lord High Chancellor, one of the Lord Commissioners, delivered Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, in pursuance of Her Majesty's Command. For greater accuracy, I have obtained a copy and also directed that the terms of the speech be printed in the Votes and Proceedings. Copies are being made available in the Vote Office.

The Gracious Speech was as follows:

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons

The Duke of Edinburgh and I were pleased to receive the State Visits of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Poland and Mrs. Walesa in April and His Excellency the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Mrs. Mubarak in July.

We recall with pleasure our State Visit to the United States of America in June. We remember with satisfaction our State Visits to Namibia and Zimbabwe in October, where I was also present on the occasion of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

My Government played a full and vigorous part in the action taken by the United Nations and the international community to eject Iraqi forces from Kuwait and to restore that country's independence and legitimate government, and in setting up a Compensation Fund for those who suffered following Iraq's invasion. They responded rapidly to the Iraqi Government's persecution of their own people. They have made it clear that Iraq cannot resume its place in the international community while the present government remain in power.

My Government have continued to make a substantial contribution to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and otherwise to maintain provision for national defence commitments. They have welcomed improvements in the security situation in Europe and are participating fully in adapting the Alliance, including the development of a stronger European defence identity in the Western European Union. They have announced proposals to restructure Britain's defences to reflect changing international circumstances.

My Government hosted the successful Economic Summit in July and the subsequent historic meeting between Summit leaders and President Gorbachev of the Soviet Union. Following the Summit, My Government vigorously denounced the attempted coup in the Soviet Union, and supported President Yeltsin's courageous stand against it. They have been working actively to encourage the integration of the Soviet Union and its Republics into the international economy. My Government welcomed warmly the return to independence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

My Government have continued to work for balanced and verifiable arms control agreements. They played an important part in concluding the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, and in the Third Review Conference of the Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention.

My Government have played a full part in the development of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe. They have worked actively for new mechanisms for maintaining stability in Europe.

My Government have continued to work towards the Single European Market. They have participated fully in negotiations in the Inter-Governmental Conferences on political union and economic and monetary union. They have supported the development of the Community's relations with other European nations. They have, with our European partners, concluded joint declarations with the United States, Canada and Japan; and economic and financial agreements with Asia, Latin America and the Mediterranean non-member countries.

My Government welcomed the inaugural meeting of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London in April. They have continued their active support for democratic change in Eastern Europe.

My Government's commitment to strengthening the United Nations was reflected in the Political Declaration issued by the London Economic Summit.

My Government have maintained a substantial and effective overseas aid programme to assist developing countries.

My Government welcomed progress towards democratic government in Africa, and towards the end of apartheid in South Africa. They have worked strenuously for the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. They have welcomed the continuing progress in Latin America towards democracy and market economies.

My Government have continued their sustained efforts to combat terrorism in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. They welcomed the recent release of hostages from Lebanon and have maintained their efforts to obtain the release of all remaining hostages in the Middle East.

My Government ratified the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and have played a full part in establishing the United Nations International Drugs Control Programme. They concluded agreements to confiscate drug traffickers' funds with seven governments.

My Government welcomed the agreement of the consultative parties to an environmental protocol to the Antarctic Treaty.

Members of the House of Commons

I thank you for the provision which you have made for the honour and dignity of the Crown and for the public service.

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons

My Government have pursued firm financial policies which have reduced inflation sharply and laid the foundations for the resumption of sustained growth. The pound sterling has remained well within its band in the Exchange Rate Mechanism.

My Government have further reduced the rate of Corporation Tax and made a number of changes to the tax system to benefit businesses. They have introduced additional measures to help unemployed people return to work.

As part of My Government's privatisation pro-gramme, the electricity supply industry in Great Britain has been restructured and shares in the companies sold.

The Citizen's Charter White Paper set out My Government's policies for improving the quality of public services through increased choice, better value for money and stronger accountability.

Legislation has been enacted to establish a School Teachers' Review Body for England and Wales.

My Government have implemented reforms of the National Health Service, and announced strategies for improving health. They have implemented the Children Act.

An Act has been passed to improve the town and country planning system, and the arrangements for compensation for compulsory purchase.

My Government have continued to work for the regeneration of our cities. New competitive funding initiatives have been introduced to improve the quality of regeneration in priority areas and the renovation and management of local authority housing in England and Wales.

An Act has been passed to give the Courts jurisdiction to try certain war crimes of the Second World War.

Legislation has been enacted to improve the administration of criminal justice and the treatment of offenders in England and Wales.

An Act has been passed to strengthen the law on dangerous dogs.

Legislation has been enacted to provide new benefits for disabled people and to strengthen parental responsibility for children by improving the assessment, collection and enforcement of maintenance.

An Act has been passed to improve the arrangements governing coal mining subsidence.

Legislation has been enacted to encourage private financing of roads and better coordination of street-works; to improve road traffic law and management and to enable trust ports to become publicly-owned companies.

Legislation has been enacted to enable contractor operation of the Atomic Weapons Establishment, and to provide for the sale of the British Technology Group.

An Act has been passed to update the powers of the Export and Credit Guarantee Department and to facilitate the sale of the Insurance Services business.

In Northern Ireland, My Government's efforts to combat terrorism have continued. An Act has been passed to reform anti-terrorist legislation. My Government have continued to encourage political progress by promoting collective talks with the main constitutional Northern Ireland parties. They, have maintained a constructive relationship with the Republic of Ireland under the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

For Scotland, legislation has provided for a Natural Heritage Agency, to secure an integrated approach to conservation and countryside mutters.

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons

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

Thereafter 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 which has now been read, we do, in Her Majesty's name, and in obedience to Fier Majesty's Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Thursday the thirty-first day of this instant October, to be then her holden, and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Thursday the thirty-first day of this instant October."

End of the Fourth Session (opened on 7 November 1990) of the Fiftieth Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in the Fortieth Year of the Reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second.