§ 2.35 p.m.
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (VISCOUNT ADDISON)My Lords, I have the honour to present a Message from the King, signed with his own hand. His Majesty's Message is as follows:
"The Emergency Powers Act, 1920, having enacted that if it appears to His Majesty that any action has been taken or is immediately threatened by any persons or body of persons of such a nature and on so extensive a scale as to be calculated, by interfering with the supply and distribution of food, water, fuel or light, or with the means of locomotion, to deprive the community, or any substantial portion of the community, of the essentials of life, His Majesty may, by proclamation, declare that a state of emergency exists: And the stoppage of work on an extensive scale in the Port of London having, in His Majesty's opinion, constituted a state of emergency within the meaning of the said Act: His Majesty has deemed it proper by proclamation made in pursuance of the said Act and dated the eleventh day of July, nineteen hundred and forty-nine, to declare that a state of emergency exists."
I should add that I propose to move an humble Address in reply to the gracious Message on Thursday next, July 14.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONMy Lords, your Lordships will be grateful to the noble Viscount the Leader of the House for having given us this intimation at the earliest possible moment. I understand that we shall be discussing this matter on Thursday, and I assume that before the debate the whole of the regulations, or such regulations as the Government propose immediately to put into operation, will be published and will be 1044 before us so that we may examine them. If that be so, then obviously none of your Lordships would wish to offer any observations at this stage.
§ VISCOUNT ADDISONI thank the noble Viscount for his remarks. I believe his statement is correct, but I will see that he is kept fully informed.