Lords Sitting of 22 December 1927

Preamble
The House met at eleven of the clock, The LORD CHANCELLOR on the Woolsack.
INDIAN CHURCH BILL. [H.L.]
Returned from the Commons, agreed to.
STATUTE LAW REVISION BILL. [H.L.]
Returned from the Commons, agreed to.
MEDICAL AND DENTISTS ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. [H.L.]
Returned from the Commons, agreed to.
COLONIAL PROBATES (PROTECTED STATES AND MANDATED TERRI- TORIES) BILL. [H.L.]
Returned from the Commons, agreed to.
ROAD TRANSPORT LIGHTING BILL.
Returned from the Commons, with the Lords Amendments agreed to.

SUPERANNUATION AND OTHER TRUST FUNDS (VALIDATION) BILL. [H.L.]
Returned from the Commons, agreed to, with Amendments.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR (VISCOUNT CAVE): My Lords, I beg to move that the Commons Amendments be now considered. Perhaps I may explain that I think the Amendments to this Bill are all quite reasonable. Some of the Amendments are really privilege Amendments. I hope your Lordships will not desire me to criticise those. There are some Amendments in the Schedule which appear to me to be of a drafting nature and to which I shall ask your Lordships to agree.
Moved, That the Commons Amendments to the Bill be now considered.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

COMMONS AMESDMENT.
Clause 3, page 3, line 20, insert the following new subsection:—
"(6) Such fees shall be payable in respect of the registration of funds, amendments of rules and changes of name or address, and in respect of the issue of certificates under this Act as may be prescribed by regulations made by the Treasury."
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: My Lords, I will now take the Amendments in turn. The first Amendment is to Clause 3 of the Bill, on page 3, line 20, to insert a new subsection as to fees which shall be payable in respect of the registration of funds, amendments of rules and changes of name or address, and in respect of the issue of certificates. I beg to move that this House doth agree with the said Amendment.
Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

COMMONS AMENDMENT.
After Clause 8, insert the following new clause:—
Validation of trust funds for the reduction of National Debt.
"9.—(1) Where by any instrument directions are given for any property being held upon trust and the income thereof being wholly accumulated (subject only to payment thereout of any costs, charges and expenses of the trustees and any remuneration to which they may be entitled) for any period to be determined under the provisions of the instrument, and for the property and accumulations being transferred at or before the expiration of that period to the National Debt Commissioners to be applied by them in reduction of the National Debt, then, unless the Treasury within three months after they receive notice of the taking effect of the instrument disclaim the interest of the National Debt Commissioners under the said directions, notwithstanding any Act or rule of law to the contrary, the directions shall be valid and effective and no person shall be entitled to require the transfer of any part of the property, income or accumulations otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of the instrument.
(2) It shall be the duty of the trustees of any such trust as aforesaid to render to the National Debt Commissioners such
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accounts and information relating to the trust as may reasonably be required by the Commissioners."
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: My Lords, the next Amendment is to insert on page 5 a new clause with the side heading "Validation of Trust Funds for the reduction of National Debt." This is really a Treasury matter and as the Treasury has agreed to it I do not think your Lordships will want me to read the clause. I move that this House doth agree with the said Amendment.
Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

COMMONS AMENDMENTS.
Schedule, page 7, line 15, leave out from ("that") to ("with") in line 19, and insert: "the rules of a fund may provide for the deposit of such moneys with a bank, and may also provide for their deposit."
Schedule, page 7, line 22, leave out from ("established") to the end of line 23, and insert:
"in the following cases, that is to say—

(a) where the rules so provided before the ninth day of November, nineteen hundred and twenty-seven;

(b) where the deposit of such moneys is authorised subject to the conditions that every employer with whom such moneys are deposited must be a body corporate having during each of the ten years last past before the date of any deposit paid a dividend or interest at a rate of not less than 3 per cent. on its ordinary shares, and that every such deposit must be secured by a charge on the whole or part of the assets of the undertaking carried on by such employer."

THE LORD CHANCELLOR: There are two Amendments to the Schedule, the first to leave out some words and insert: "the rules of a fund may provide for the deposit of such moneys with a bank, and may also provide for their deposit," and the second to leave out certain words at the end of the paragraph and insert new paragraphs (a) and (b). That is evidently to secure that the deposit shall be forthcoming when required. I beg to move that the House doth agree with these two Amendments.
Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendments.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

LANDLORD AND TENANT (No. 2) BILL.
Returned from the Commons, with several of the Amendments made by the Lords agreed to without amendment, certain other Amendments agreed to with Amendments, one consequential Amendment made, and one Lords Amendment disagreed to for which they assign a Reason.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: My Lords, I beg to move that the Commons Amendments to the Lords Amendments to this Bill be now considered. There are five Amendments to be considered. Perhaps I had better deal with them when they come up in turn for consideration, but I should like to make this preliminary observation that while your Lordships have adopted a very large number of Amendments to this Bill—I have not counted them, but I think they must approach or perhaps exceed one hundred in number—the other House has in substance agreed to all except one. They have agreed to your Lordships Amendment regarding the tribunal and they have accepted the Courts which you propose. They have accepted the new subsection to Clause 3 which was moved by Lord Charnwood. The matter was left to the free vote of the House of Commons and by a considerable majority the House agreed to accept the Amendment. They have accepted another Amendment by a smaller majority. I think therefore it may properly be said that in substance both Houses agree with the bulk of the changes which your Lordships have made in the Bill. I think the revision of the Bill by your Lordships' House has been a most effective and valuable process.
Moved, That the Commons Amendments to the Lords Amendments be now considered.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

LORDS AMENDMENT.
[The references are to Bill No. 153.]
Clause 5, page 9, lines 9 and 10, after ("tenancy") insert ("or, where the tenancy is terminated by notice within two months after the service of the notice").
The Commons agree to this Amendment with an Amendment—to leave out ("within two months after the service of the notice") and insert ("as soon as possible thereafter").
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: My Lords, an Amendment has been made here to which I will ask your Lordships not to agree. It deals with the right of a tenant to a new lease in certain cases and subsection (2) of Clause 5 reads in this way:
"Where such a notice is so served"—
that is the notice claiming a new lease—
"the tribunal, on application being; made for the purpose either by the landlord or by the tenant not less than nine months before the termination of the tenancy, or where the tenancy is terminated by notice within two months after the service of the notice may … ."
and then come the words regarding the granting of a new lease. The Commons have passed an Amendment to leave out "within two months of the service of the notice" and to insert "as soon as possible thereafter." I am satisfied, and I think my right hon. friend the Home Secretary is now satisfied, that this Amendment was adopted by inadvertence, because, properly speaking, "as soon as possible thereafter" would mean as soon as possible after the lease has come to an end. That, of course, would be far too late for the consideration of the terms of the possible new lease. I feel sure that no objection will be taken elsewhere if we dissent from that Amendment and restore the words of the Bill.
Moved, That this House doth disagree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

LORDS AMENDMENT.
Page 13, line 22, at end insert as a new clause:—
"Provisions as to premises subject to Rent Restrictions Acts.
"(1) The tribunal shall not entertain an application under Section three of this Act if at the time of the application the applicant is a person in possession of the premises by virtue of the Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Acts, 1920 to 1925.
(2) No compensation shall be payable for goodwill attaching to any premises if and so far as such goodwill is attributable to the trade or business carried on thereat during any period during which possession of the premises has been retained by virtue of the Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Acts, 1920 to 1925, and such period as aforesaid shall be excluded in computing for the purposes of this Part of this Act the length of time during which the trade or business has been carried on at the promises."
The Commons disagree to this Amendment for the following Reason:
Because the Amendment is contrary to the principle of the Bill that the landlord should compensate the tenant for any value created by the tenant which enures to the benefit of the landlord, and would deprive of the benefits of the Bill the poorest class of tenants who are least able to protect themselves.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: My Lords, the next Amendment concerns a new clause inserted in this House with regard to premises subject to the Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Acts. Your Lordships will have in mind the discussions in this House upon that matter. When the clause was discussed in Committee, I took objection to the Amendment then moved on the ground that as framed it would exclude from the provisions of the Statute all the smaller tenancies, and I thought that very undesirable and really not just. But at a further stage I suggested to the House a modification of the Bill which would confine it to cases where the tenant had received notice to quit, and so had become what is called a statutory tenant under the Rent Restrictions Acts. I was impressed by the arguments that were used by some of your Lordships that in that case it was rather hard on the landlord that, having what has been called an unwanted tenant, he should see that tenant improving his property against his will. The House took that view and passed an Amendment in that modified form.
The matter was debated at length in the other House. Objection was taken to the clause as passed by this House by members sitting in every quarter of that House and, I think, quite as much—or more—by members sitting on the Government benches as by members sitting in other quarters of the House. In the end my right hon. friend who was in charge of the Bill left this matter to a free vote of the House, with the rather striking result that the House disagreed with this clause without a Division. No one was found to challenge a Division or to vote for the clause. I think that the reason which mainly weighed with the other House was that given in the written Reason, which I will read:—
"Because the Amendment is contrary to the principle of the Bill that the landlord should compensate the tenant for any value created by the tenant which enures
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to the benefit of the landlord, and would deprive of the benefits of the Bill the poorest class of tenants who are least able to protect themselves."
I think, looking at the debate, that this consideration also weighed with members of the other House: that, where Parliament had put tenants in a special position of security, the tenants should not for that reason be deprived of benefits which were being given to others. I admit that the arguments are nicely balanced, and I do not withdraw my view that the case is rather a hard one for the landlord. But, upon the whole, I do not think that your Lordships would like to be put in the position of insisting that what are called the poorest class of tenants should be deprived of the benefits given by the Bill to tenants who are better off, and so I would suggest to your Lordships that you do not insist upon this Amendment.
Let me just add that it is not a very important matter in itself. The Amendment will apply only to the small tenements which are used for the combined purposes of a residence and the carrying on of trade. In practice it applies only to the small shop where a man lives above his shop. The Bill applies only to improvements hereafter made which have lasted for three years before the end of the tenancy, so it cannot come into operation until three years after the commencement of the Act. What will be the form of the Rent Restrictions Acts three years hence, I suppose no living man could tell. Accordingly the cases in which your Lordships' Amendment would operate cannot be many, though that is, of course, a minor consideration. The great point that I put to the House is that it is undesirable that there should be a conflict between the two Houses on a matter in which the interests of these small tenants are concerned. For these reasons I beg to move that this House doth not insist upon the said Amendment.
Moved, That this House doth not insist upon the said Amendment.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
LORD DYNEVOR: My Lords, the noble and learned Viscount brought forward this Amendment to meet my request, and I am most grateful to him for doing so. I could not see then, nor can I see now, how the Rent Restrictions Acts can work

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alongside this Bill, but no doubt we shall have litigation on the subject and we may know the position some day. I am not going to oppose the wishes of the House of Commons on this point, though I do protest, and I say most strongly that I deeply regret that we have not had more time for dealing with this important matter. We are here now, on the last day of the Session, discussing a most important question. I know quite well that, even if your Lordships insisted on your Amendment, it would be no use. I cannot press it, but I make my protest.
THE EARL OF MIDLETON: My Lords, I should like to support what has just fallen from my noble friend. We are placed in a very great difficulty, not in any way through the fault of the Lord Chancellor, whose conciliatory conduct and attitude we all desire to recognise, but by the fact pointed out on the Second Heading of the Bill, when we moved that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee, that it was quite impossible to bring this Bill into shape in the time left to us, more especially as there was no opportunity of examining the enormous incidence of some of these cases before the Prorogation. Your Lordships may remember that the noble Marquess the Leader of the House, when asked on this particular ease, was unable to furnish us with any figures as to the numbers which would be affected. Now we are in two difficulties, firstly, that it has been impossible since the unexpected rejection of this clause last night in another place, to summon members of this House to discuss the matter here, and secondly, we know that we shall put the Government in great difficulty if we resist, because we recognise that the Lord Chancellor has done all he can to obtain the sanction of the House of Commons to the changes which we deliberately made here.
We have no desire whatever to place the Government in greater difficulty than that in which they now stand, but I cannot leave this question without reminding your Lordships of the very important discussion which took place on Tuesday last, in which various members on this Bench took part, with regard to the failure of the Government to deal with the admitted anomalies which have arisen under the Rent Restrictions Acts. The Government have taken a course, after the constant admission by members
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of the Government, and indeed on Tuesday last by the Leader of this House, that the Rent Restrictions Acts urgently require amending—in the face of that they have placed those Acts in the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill, so that they could not be discussed. What is even worse, despite repeated demands, thay have been unable to promise that next year the same course may not be pursued. On that lapse on the part of the Government is founded the fact that a very large number of tenants—I cannot estimate the numbers—who have kept in occupation against the wish of their landlords, have also crept in for all the benefits of this Bill, and this will cause an immense amount of legal difficulty.
I cannot believe that when one Act contemplates a landlord having power to give notice, and the other Act contemplates that he shall not have that power, and one Act does not involve anything with regard to improvements, and the other Act allows improvements, it is a state of things which cannot fail to give rise to a great deal of legal conflict. We are, however, placed in this difficulty: we have not been able to summon our friends to discuss the matter, the Amendments are not printed and have come up within a few hours. But we have no desire to embarrass the Government, and are therefore forced to acquiesce in the decision that we shall not press this Amendment. I hope, however, your Lordships will remember that in taking this course we cannot contemplate that in succeeding Sessions the same course is to be pursued with impunity. I think it is an absolute parody of the proceedings of Parliament that we should be asked from time to time, following as best we can Amendments which have not been printed, without proper consultation and debate, in this House, to legislate in this way. With that protest I accept the advice given by the Lord Chancellor.
THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY): My Lords, I do not want to enter into any discussion upon this specific Amendment, which has been thoroughly dealt with by the Lord Chancellor, but I do want to say one word with regard to the closing observation of my noble friend. Your Lordships are quite aware that I share with him a very strong feeling as to the way in which your Lordships' House is treated at this

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period of the Session, but I would like to remind my noble friend that with regard to this particular stage of business there must necessarily be some confusion. I have been a member of this House for a very long time, though not quite so long as my noble friend—
THE EARL OF MIDLETON: Longer by four years.
THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY: I do not like to be reminded of my age to that extent. In all my experience the discussion of Amendments between the two Houses must necessarily be close to the end of the Session, even if adequate time be allowed for the discussion of the actual Bill. Those discussions of Amendments between the two Houses are always conducted under considerable difficulty because the Messages pass to and fro very rapidly and sometimes are not set up in print. I cannot say how sorry I am that my noble friend should have cause to complain, and I earnestly hope that in future Sessions your Lordships' House will be better treated; but on this particular stage of business I cannot hold out very much hope that there will be more time for discussion of Messages which pass between the two Houses at the end of the Session.
On Question, Motion agreed to.

LORDS AMENDMENT.
Page 14, line 34, insert the following new clause:—
Restriction on contracting out.
"10. This Part of this Act shall apply notwithstanding any contract to the contrary, being a contract made at any time, after the thirtieth day of March, nineteen hundred and twenty-seven:
Provided that if on the hearing of a claim or application under this Part of this Act it appears to the tribunal that such contract as aforesaid, so far as it deprives any person of any right under this Part of this Act, was made for adequate consideration, the tribunal shall in determining the matter give effect thereto."
Commons agree to this Amendment, but substitute ("eighth day of February") for ("thirtieth day of March") and ("a contract made after such date") for ("such contract").
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: My Lords, the next Amendment relates to Clause 10. Your Lordships will find there a clause inserted by this House. As framed by this House the clause ran thus:—
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"This part of this Act shall apply notwithstanding any contract to the contrary, being a contract made at any time after the thirtieth day of March, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-seven."
The Commons propose to alter that to the eighth day of February, 1927. March 30th was the day on which the Bill was introduced. February 8 was the day when Parliament first sat, and when in the Speech from the Throne the Bill was promised. I suppose it is thought that some people might possibly have been quick enough to take advantage of that notice. I suggest that your Lordships should not refuse to accept this Amendment.
Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
THE EARL OF MIDLETON: My Lords, as the Lord Chancellor was good enough to insert this clause in the debate after I made the suggestion, I will, of course, accept his suggestion that we should take February 8. What we care about is not the date but the principle. The principle we have obtained—namely, that past contracts should not be invalidated by new legislation. Future contracts which may be held to have possibly been entered into at a time when this legislation had been already adumbrated on the first day of the Session we of course do not desire to contest, having obtained the principle, for which we are very grateful to the Lord Chancellor.
On Question, Motion agreed to.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: The second Commons Amendment is purely drafting. I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.
Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

LORDS AMENDMENT.
Clause 26, page 20, line 31, leave out ("regulations made by the reference Committee") and insert ("County Court Rules").
The Commons agree to this Amendment and, as a consequential Amendment, add ("except that in relation to proceedings before the High Court it means prescribed by rules of the Supreme Court").
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: My Lords, I move that this House doth agree with

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the Commons in the said Amendment. This clause, the Interpretation Clause, status that the expression "prescribed" means "prescribed by County Court Rules"; to which the Commons desire to add, "except that in relation to proceedings before the High Court it means prescribed by rules of the Supreme Court."
Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

LORDS AMENDMENT.
Clause 27, lines 38 and 39, leave out ("thirtieth day of September, nineteen hundred and twenty-seven") and insert ("twenty-sixth day of March, nineteen hundred and twenty-eight").
The Commons agree to this Amendment with the substitution of ("twenty-fifth") for ("twenty-sixth").
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: My Lords, I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment. It is a very slight Amendment. The clause provides, in subsection (2), that
"This Act shall come into operation on the twenty-sixth day of March, nineteen hundred and twenty-eight."
It was pointed out in the Commons that as the Bill stands a tenant whose tenancy expired on March 25 might be unable to give a notice of his claim within a year, being the maximum allowed under Clause 4 of the Bill. Accordingly, the Commons desire to insert March 25 instead of March 26.
Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.
A Committee appointed to prepare a Reason for the Lords disagreeing with one of the Commons Amendments.
Report received from the Committee of the reason to be offered the Commons; and a Message ordered to be sent to the Commons, returning the Bill, and acquainting them that the Lords disagree with the Commons Amendment because the effect would be to prevent a tenant whose tenancy is terminated by notice applying for the grant of a new lease until after the termination of his tenancy.

NURSING HOME REGISTRATION BILL.
Returned from the Commons, with the Amendment disagreed to, for which they assign a Reason.
VISCOUNT GAGE: I beg to move that the Commons Reason be now considered.
Moved, That the Commons Reason be now considered.—(Viscount Gage.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

LORDS AMENDMENT.
Clause 7, page 6, line 3, at end insert the following new subsection:—
"(4) For the purposes of the powers of the Minister under the provisions of this section, the Minister may at all reasonable times inspect any nursing home to which this section applies, and may refuse exemption or withdraw an exemption on the ground that as regards the home the provisions of paragraphs (a), (b) or (e) of the proviso to subsection (3) of Section 1 of this Act are not complied with."
The Commons disagree to this Amendment for the following reason:—
Because it involves responsibility for the conduct of Christian Science Houses upon the Minister of Health, which is not desirable.
VISCOUNT GAGE: My Lords, I beg to move that this House doth not insist on the said Amendment.
Moved, That this House doth not insist on the said Amendment.—(Viscount Gage.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

WOKINGHAM GAS ORDER, 1927.
THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (VISCOUNT PEEL): I beg to move that the Wokingham Gas Order be approved.
Moved, That the Special Order which was presented on the 30th of November last be approved.—(Viscount Peel.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

BARNSTAPLE GAS ORDER, 1927.
BATH GAS ORDER, 1927.
BROADSTAIRS GAS ORDER, 1927.
NORTHAMPTON GAS ORDER, 1927.
OLDBURY GAS ORDER, 1927.
VISCOUNT PEEL: I beg to move that these five Orders be approved.
Moved, That the Special Orders which were presented on the 5th instant be approved.—(Viscount Peel.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

HARROGATE ELECTRICITY (EXTENSION) ORDER, 1927.

  RIPON AND DISTRICT ELECTRICITY ORDER, 1927.
  VISCOUNT PEEL: I beg to move that these two Electricity Orders be approved.
  Moved, That the Special Orders which were presented on the 6th instant be approved.—(Viscount Peel.)
  On Question, Motion agreed to.

  EGREMONT AND CLEATOR MOOR ELECTRICITY (EXTENSION) ORDER, 1927.
  HASSOCKS AND HURSTPIERPOINT ELECTRICITY ORDER, 1927.
  LUTON ELECTRICITY (EXTENSION) ORDER, 1927.
  WIGAN ELECTRICITY (EXTENSION) ORDER, 1927.
  VISCOUNT PEEL: I beg to move that these Orders be approved.
  Moved, That the Special Orders which were presented on the 7th instant be approved.—(Viscount Peel.)
  On Question, Motion agreed to.

TREATY WITH IRAQ.
LORD PARMOOR LORD PARMOOR had given Notice to call attention to the Treaty with Iraq and to ask His Majesty's Government whether there is any precedent for a similar Treaty between this country and a mandated territory under Mandate A. The noble and learned Lord said: My Lords, I had anticipated that I should be called upon at a much earlier stage to-day to speak on this Question. Of course, I know that that was impossible, but I have been in communication with the noble Marquess the Leader of the House and Lord Lovat, and they agree with me that it would be impossible to initiate what must be—at least, in my
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opinion—a very important debate on the Iraq question within such a very short time of the hour fixed for the Royal Commission. I desire to make it clear, however, that it is my intention to call attention to the Treaty of Iraq on the first Wednesday after the House reassembles. I think I am right in saying that in the meantime nothing can be finally concluded until the assent of the Council of the League of Nations has been obtained. In these circumstances I had intended to move the adjournment of the debate, but I am told it is not necessary to make any Motion.

LANDLORD AND TENANT (No. 2.) BILL.
Message from the Commons: that they do not insist on the Amendment made by the Commons to one of the Amendments by the Lords to which their Lordships disagreed.
House adjourned during pleasure.
House resumed.

ROYAL COMMISSION.
The following Bills received the Royal Assent:—

Appropriation (Consolidated Fund) (No. 2),

Criminal Appeal (Scotland),

Protection of Animals (Amendment),

Public Works Loans (No. 2),

Cinematograph Films,

Unemployment Insurance,

Audit (Local Authorities),

Destructive Insects and Pests,

Mental Deficiency,

Expiring Laws Continuance,

Sheriff Courts and Legal Officers (Scotland),

Landlord and Tenant,

Road Transport Lighting,

Nursing Homes Registration,

Medical and Dentists Acts Amendment,

Indian Church,

Superannuation and other Trust Funds (Validation),

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Statute Law Revision,

Colonial Probates (Protected States and Mandated Territories),

Ministry of Health Provisional Orders Confirmation (No. 10),

Ministry of Health Provisional Order Confirmation (Sutton Coldfield Extension),

Lerwick Harbour Order Confirmation,

Edinburgh Chartered Accountants Annuity, etc. Fund Order Confirmation,

Edinburgh Corporation Order Confirmation,

Renfrewshire County Council (Giffnock Railway Bridges) Order Confirmation,

Grampian Electricity Supply Order Confirmation,

Royal Edinburgh Hospital for Mental and Nervous Disorders Order Confirmation,

Dundee Corporation Order Confirmation,

Perth County Buildings Order Confirmation,

Heriot-Watt College and George Heriot's Trust Order Confirmation,

Wallasey Corporation,

West Cheshire Water Board.

HIS MAJESTY'S SPEECH.
And afterwards His Majesty's most gracious Speech was delivered to both Houses of Parliament by the Lord Chancellor (in pursuance of His Majesty's Command) as followeth:—
"My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,"
"I have followed with constant interest the journeys of My Sons, the Prince of Wales and Prince George, to Canada, and also of My Son and Daughter-in-Law, the Duke and Duchess of York, to New Zealand, Australia and other parts of My Dominions. I rejoice in their return, and I have learned from them with deep satisfaction of the loyal and enthusiastic welcome which they invariably experienced throughout their journeys.
"It gave Me particular pleasure in the course of the summer to receive in My capital the President of the French Republic accompanied by the French Minister for Foreign Affairs. The visit gave fresh evidence of the cordial relations so happily established between My Government and the Government of the Republic and afforded My people a welcome opportunity of demonstrating their affection for France in the persons of these two eminent statesmen.
"The visit of the King of Egypt was a source of gratification to Me and afforded an opportunity for a full exchange of views between the Egyptian Prime Minister and My Foreign Secretary. The frank and friendly nature of these conversations was in itself of good augury for the future and it is My hope, that their outcome may prove of lasting benefit to both countries.
"I have watched with profound sympathy and satisfaction the steady growth in influence of the League of Nations and the increasing part which it plays in composing international differences and preserving peace. The recent meeting of the Council at Geneva marked a further stage in this progress. My Government will continue to base its policy on loyal co-operation with the League.
"A Conference with representatives of the United States of America and Japan was held at Geneva, at which the delegates of My Government put forward proposals for the future limitation of armaments, which if accepted would have led to substantial reductions in naval strengths and costs.
"I regret that though much community of view was revealed, it was not possible to reach a general agreement. But in spite of this temporary failure, My Government have no intention of embarking upon an increase of their naval building programme, which is based upon a considered view of the defensive needs of My widespread Empire.
"A Conference, attended by Governors or other senior officials representing twenty-six Colonies, Protectorates and Mandated Territories,

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assembled in May to exchange views on proposals of common interest to the Colonial Empire. This year has also been marked by important Inter-Imperial Conferences in London dealing with education and agricultural research. I am confident of the great value of such meetings, not only in the results achieved and the recommendations made, but also in bringing together, in a spirit of comradeship and mutual assistance, those who are engaged in similar work in widely separated parts of My Dominions.
"My Government having decided that the time is ripe for the initiation of the Inquiry into the working of the system of government in India for which the law provides, I have, with the concurrence of both your Houses, issued a Commission to seven of your number who will shortly embark upon their momentous task. I earnestly trust that their labours may be crowned with success, and that from their counsels may emerge a system of government which shall give contentment to the peoples of India and strengthen the bonds that unite My Empire.
"A new treaty between Myself and His Majesty the King of Iraq, to replace the existing treaties between us, has been signed by Our respective representatives. The text of this treaty has been laid before you.
"During the past year Agreements have been concluded with the Greek and Serb-Croat-Slovene Governments providing for the settlement of their respective war debts to this country. The terms of the Agreements have been presented to Parliament, and, as in previous cases, they give effect to the policy adopted by My Government to limit the claims on our Allies to such amounts as, together with our Reparation Receipts, will cover the obligations My Government has itself to meet in respect of War Debts. I note with satisfaction that funding Agreements have now been signed in respect of all the Allied War Debts to this country, except that of Russia.
"Members of the House of Commons,
"I thank you for the provision you you have made for the public service.
"My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
"My Ministers continue to watch closely the state of employment which, though showing welcome signs of improvement in some parts of the country, still gives cause for anxiety in others. To facilitate the transfer of labour from industries with restricted opportunities for employment and in particular the coal-mining industry, a Board is to be appointed to recommend the executive action to be taken by the Departments concerned. My Ministers look with confidence for co-operation from all who can assist in this work both at home and overseas.
"A Bill has been passed placing the system of insurance against unemployment upon an improved permanent basis.
"Striking progress has been made during the past year in providing housing accommodation for the people and the number of new houses completed in England and Wales since the Armistice now exceeds one million.
"During the past year a greater number of new houses have been completed in Scotland than in any previous year. Substantial progress is also being made with the clearance of insanitary areas and the rehousing of displaced tenants.
"A Bill has been passed to declare and amend the law with regard to Trade Disputes and Trade Unions.
"I have given My assent to the Landlord and Tenant Bill, the provisions of which will secure to certain classes of tenants compensation for the loss of goodwill attaching to their premises and for unexhausted improvements, and will effect other desirable alterations in the law.
"A Bill has been passed which it is hoped will materially assist the development of the British Cinematograph Film Industry.
"A Bill has also been passed providing for the reorganisation of certain legal services and the amendment in certain respects of the law relating to Sheriff Court business in Scotland.
"It is My earnest prayer that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon all your past and coming labours."
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 His Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in His Majesty's name and in obedience to His Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Tuesday, the seventh day of February, One thousand
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nine hundred and twenty-eight, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday, the seventh day of February, One thousand nine hundred and twenty-eight.
End of the Third Session of the Thirty-fourth Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in the eighteenth year of the Reign of His Majesty King George V.