Lords Sitting of 31 October 1950

THE KING'S SPEECH
The KING being seated on the Throne, and the Cammons being at the Bar with their Speaker, His Majesty was pleased to make a most gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, and then retired.
His Majesty's Speech was as follows:
"My Lords and Members of the House of Commons:
" Five years ago, in the hour of our deliverance from war, I declared it to be the firm purpose of my Government to work, in concert with the Governments of all other peace-loving nations, for the attainment of enduring world peace. Yet despite the untiring efforts to this end of all my peoples, helped by my Allies across the seas, the world is once more troubled with the menace of war. The avoidance of war remains the supreme desire of my Ministers, and under this new peril they will seek by all means in their power to ensure; the success of the measures for rearmament which they have taken. In the Session which lies before you the necessary increases in production for defence will call for further efforts and sacrifices, but I am confident that with the unfailing support of all my loyal subjects:he nation will be enabled to play its full part in the defence of free-dom and the preservation of peace.
"In Korea, forces, for the first time under the (lag of the United Nations, are overcoming the invaders. The success of this historic action in which my Forces are playing their part marks a decisive moment in world affairs, and is arousing fresh hopes of achieving a united, free and democratic Korea. It has already given proof of the ability of the United Nations is to meet a threat to world peace.
"My Government also support strongly the efforts of the Specialised Agencies of the United Nations which arc directed to improving the standard of living in impoverished or backward countries.
"My Ministers in the United Kingdom will maintain the closest relations with the other Governments of the Commonwealth in order to safeguard freedom and peace. They will also continue to work with the Governments signatory to the North Atlantic and Brussels Treaties to strengthen the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, to improve the defence of the North Atlantic area and thus to achieve security against attack.
"In consultation with other Commonwealth Governments, my Ministers will give further study to plans for promoting the economic development of South and South-East Asia.
"The development of the Colonial Territories and the welfare of their peoples will continue to receive the attention of my Government, and they will introduce legislation to supplement

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the sums made available for these purposes by the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, 1945.
"I look forward with great pleasure to the forthcoming visit of the Queen of the Netherlands and the Prince of the Netherlands.
"Members of the House of Commons:
"The Estimates for the Public Ser-vices will be laid before you in due course.
"My Lords and Members of the House of Commons:
"I am glad to know that preparations are going forward throughout the United Kingdom for the Festival of Britain, 1951, which will demonstrate to the world the greatness of British achievement in the arts and sciences and in their application to industry and agriculture. The Queen and I look forward with high expectation to the opening of the Festival next May.
"Although the rearmament programme will make heavy demands upon the nation, my Government will continue to give high priority to housing and will maintain the essentials of their social policy. They will do their utmost to ensure as far as possible the stability of costs and prices and to continue the export drive.
"In order to defend full employment, to ensure that the resources of the community are used to best advantage and to avoid inflation, legislation will be introduced to make available to my Ministers, on a permanent basis but subject to appropriate Parliamentary safeguards, powers to regulate production, distribution and consumption and to control prices.
"My Ministers propose the further development of the Civil Defence Ser-vices both as a responsibility of local authorities and, after due consultation with managements and workers, within large industrial units.
"A Bill will be laid before you to provide for the hearing of appeals against convictions by courts-martial.
"You will be asked to approve a measure to confer rights of reinstatement in civilian employment on reservists recalled to my Forces and on National Service men who, before the
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coming into force of the National Ser-vice Act, 1950, voluntarily undertook an additional six months' whole-time service.
"Legislation will be laid before you to provide for the restoration of land devastated by ironstone extraction.
"The disturbed international situation emphasises the need to intensify the efforts which my Ministers have been making to expand the production of food at home. A Bill will be laid before you still further to encourage the rearing of livestock in upland areas.
"A measure will be laid before you to place on a permanent basis the legislation relating to the beet sugar industry and to transfer to public ownership the shares in the British Sugar Corporation which are not held by the Exchequer.
"My Government will introduce legislation providing for the establishment of an authority with powers to reorganise and develop the white fish industry, and of a Scottish Committee of that authority.
"A Bill will also be laid before you proposing more effective means of dealing with the poaching of salmon and trout in Scotland.
"A Bill will be laid before you to amend the Restoration of Pre-War Trade Practices Act, 1942.
"My Ministers have under consideration the reform of the law relating to leaseholds and meanwhile measures will be introduced to provide for the continuation for a short period of ground leases relating to residential premises, so as to prevent some of the hardships which would otherwise arise on the termination of tenancies. Pro-vision will also be made for facilitating the renewal of certain business tenancies.
"A measure will be laid before you to provide River Boards with more effective powers to deal with the pollution of rivers and streams.
"Other measures will be laid before you if time permits; and it is hoped to make further progress with the con-solidation of the Statute Law.
"I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsels."
House adjourned during pleasure.
House resumed at half past two of the clock, The LORD CHANCELLOR on the Woolsack.

Prayers
The Earl of Mount Edgcumbe—Took the Oath.
LIST OF THE LORDS TEMPORAL
GARTER KING OF ARMS attending, delivered at the Table (in the usual manner) a List of the Lords Temporal in the Second Session of the Thirty-ninth Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: The same was ordered to lie on the Table.
SELECT VESTRIES
Bill, pro forma, read la.

ADDRESS IN REPLY TO HIS MAJESTY'S MOST GRACIOUS SPEECH
The King's Speech reported by The LORD CHANCELLOR.
2.45 p.m.
LORD LAWSON: My Lords, I beg to move that an humble Address be presented to His Majesty as followeth:
"Most Gracious Sovereign—We, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to thank Your Majesty for the most gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament."
My Lords, I have heard many speeches moving similar Motions in another place during my Parliamentary career, but this is the first time that I have ever moved a Motion of this kind. I have usually felt very sympathetic towards the gentle-man who had the duty of proposing the Motion, but I can assure your Lordships that my sympathy to-day is far more acute than ever it was before.
I am pleased that the first place in the gracious Speech is given to rearmament, and I am also glad that emphasis is laid upon it. We now know in this country, from sad experience, that weakness in a nation's defences tempts evil men to take advantage of that weakness. Personally
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—and I am sure all your Lordships will agree—I think it is a pity that this should be so. We mourn the cost of rearmament, and those of us who have been engaged in industry, who have seen great changes over the past few years and have had much reason for hoping for great developments, particularly regret that this country should again have to expend great sums of money upon rearmament. On the other hand, we know the tragic cost of weakness. I suppose that this country, in my lifetime and in the lifetime of most of us here, has spent poportionately more wealth in the defence of liberty and freedom than any country in the world. But there is a greater cost than that. I should think that there is scarcely a home in this country but which has reason to remember the last two tragic wars through which we have passed. Since the last war we have tried persuasion, and we have sought to prove our sincerity: but in spite of all we are still menaced by other nations. Therefore, rearmament is forced upon us, and it is so obviously needed that I trust that the Government will make all haste to put the country in a position to make its contribution to the United Nations, so that whenever it is necessary we shall be able to deal with the aggressor.
The gracious Speech contains references to a large number of other subjects, including courts-martial, a comparatively minor matter. Legislation is to be introduced to provide for the hearing of appeals against convictions by courts-martial. I am glad to see that at last the Government are to deal with this matter, although I know what a fair body the average court-martial in this country is. Your Lordships will forgive me for a confidence. I rose to the full rank of driver in the field artillery. I managed to escape a university education, but army mules contributed considerably to my knowledge. I have had the privilege of sitting on two court-martial inquiries, and I know that the average officer, N.C.O. and member of the rank and file all agree that courts-martial are very fair. But I have often wondered why we should not agree to take that extra step, so that, as I think lawyers say, you are not only being just, but are making it clear that you are just. It seems to me that courts-martial have nothing whatever to fear from giving this right of appeal.

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As a matter of fact, I myself think that there is no Army or force in the world which is conducted with such fairness by both officers and N.C.O.'s as our own is. Of course, there are occasional lapses, but they do not often occur. I personally shall be satisfied when this leave to appeal is given. Sometimes there have been men, particularly officers, who have been extremely dissatisfied with decisions and convictions. They have sometimes carried on a campaign—no doubt members of your Lordships' House will know some of those cases. Therefore I am pleased that this is at last to be done in order to put an end to that kind of thing.
I am glad, too, to see that the question of maintaining full employment takes a prominent place in the gracious Speech. During the past few years, when we have been enduring many shortages, it has been satisfactory to note that great masses of men have not been subject to unemployment, and that the average person has felt a sense of security so far as his occupation was concerned. Therefore, I am pleased that emphasis has been laid upon that matter. As the gracious Speech says:
"In order to defend full employment, to ensure that the resources of the community are used to best advantage and to avoid inflation, legislation will be introduced to make available to my Ministers, on a permanent basis but subject to appropriate Parliamentary safe-guards, powers to regulate production, distribution and consumption and to control prices."
One of the things I noticed about unemployment, when it unfortunately came to the industry in which my life has been involved, was not so much the fact that men were robbed of the ordinary elementary needs of life—that was bad enough—as the deterioration of those inner powers of man by which men and nations live. That was a very sad experience in-deed. It was my good fortune that, during my life as a workman, there was regular employment for all men in the industry in which I was engaged. I know no satisfaction greater than the satisfaction of using your strength and skill in the know-ledge that, when you have finished with your day's work, you have done a good job. The tragedy comes when men are deprived of that opportunity to express their strength and their skill.
Your Lordships will forgive me if I refer to an experience which brought
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home to me, in a very moving way, the great change that has taken place in these matters. I was privileged recently to be present in a church where the people were met in thanksgiving—thanksgiving for regularity of employment, for better conditions and for better wages. The colliery band led the hymns. The consultative committee of the colliery, composed of the workmen and the officials, sat on the front seat, the manager among them. The harvest was, in the main, coal. Colliery lamps shone upon the coal, making it gleam. An official of the colliery read the Lesson. The church was packed, and I can tell your Lordships that I have seldom attended a service where worship, devotion and thanksgiving were so sincere that it created such great emotion. And I have seldom been in a service where worship of that kind was so real.
I know that your Lordships will for-give that personal illustration, but I give it in order to make the point that, if there were any danger of interference with full employment, then it would be a tragic thing for those people and for the country generally. Those people represent the spirit that is necessary to meet the industrial circumstances of our time. The older ones amongst us will remember the time when industry was relatively static. Then, usually, one industry was limited to a certain district. In recent years, how-ever, we have seen great changes. Industry has become more dynamic; it has become more mobile. It moves swiftly from one part of the country to another; it moves swiftly across the world. I feel that it may be our lot to lead the world to a firmer and surer road, and to free it from that corroding bitterness which threatens civilisation to-day. We were one of the first countries to face the fact of the Industrial Revolution. There was no previous experience in the world's history to help us; we had no one to guide or to lead us. We had to find our own way, and I think it is just possible that, with full employment, we have a great contribution to make to the industrial and economic affairs of the world.
I have nearly exhausted my talent, but my noble and gallant friend—and I am glad to call him "friend"—is to second this Motion. The gracious Speech from the Throne contains references to many very useful pieces of legislation. For

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instance, there is to be legislation with regard to the polution of rivers and streams. The result of the application of modern science to industry has in the main done violence to our streams and our river:;, and it is high time that the Government of the country, with the local authorities, faced this great and worsening problem. There are many other subjects that I should have liked to mention, but time forbids. I have great pleasure in moving the Motion which will now be read out to your Lordships.
Moved, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty as followeth—
"Most Gracious Sovereign—We, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to thank Your Majesty for the most gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament."—{Lord Lawson.)
3.4 p.m.
LORD MOUNTEVANS: My Lords, it is my privilege this afternoon to have the honour of seconding the Motion which has been so ably moved by my noble friend, Lord Lawson. I should like to thank my noble friend the Leader of the House for his kindness and consideration in giving me this opportunity. I propose to deal with one or two matters in the gracious Speech, particularly those dealing with defence, which will undoubtedly -call for even further efforts and sacrifices. It seems but a very-short while since this nation and her Allies emerged from nearly six years of awful war, six years of doubt and sorrow, six years of determination to see that business through. And we did see it through, despite the many-new horrors to which we have now be-come accustomed. Civil defence, that Cinderella of our defender services, at present calls for some great new effort. Many of the old methods have already become obsolete, and many services, such as the blood transfusion service, need re-organising and rebuilding. The increase in production for defence purposes will mean consderably greater taxation, at a time when this burden has already be-come well- nigh intolerable; but it has got to be faced.
The example of the United Nations in Korea has given great hope to civilisation—in fact, real hope to a world beginning
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to despair of ever achieving lasting peace. The close working and understanding between the United Kingdom and Common-wealth Governments, who are signatories to the North Atlantic Pact, stimulate our belief that we are working towards a decent and disciplined civilisation, with peace and security at its real objectives. As regards the Colonial territories, their development and the welfare of their peoples have grown very much in importance through air travel, and for that reason every encouragement should be given to Members of both Houses of Parliament to visit the territories concerned, with a view to a better understanding of their problems.
May I now turn to home problems? The Festival of Britain next year will be opened by Their Majesties in May. This Festival will stimulate trade and advertise Britain—and, let us hope, improve some of our restaurant set vices. To ensure that the best use is made of our resources, I understand that legislation will be introduced to regulate production, distribution and consumption, and also to control prices and thereby avoid inflation. As my noble friend has said, a Bill will be introduced to provide for the hearing of appeals against conviction by courts martial. Rights of reinstatement in civilian employment of Reservists recalled to the Colours and cf National Service men who, before the National Service Act, 1950, voluntarily undertook an additional six months' whole-time service, will be established. Special attention will be given to the law relating to leaseholds, which appears to need some reform. To conclude. I may say that the forthcoming visit of the Queen and the Prince of the Netherlands is looked forward to greatly. My Lords, I beg to second the Motion.
3.10 p.m.
THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY: My Lords, I rise to move that the debate be now adjourned. In doing so, I should like to say a few brief words with regard to the speeches of the Mover and the Seconder to which we have just listened. Neither of the noble Lords is entirely a newcomer to this House—indeed, I think we can fairly describe them as already old friends. It was my good fortune to sit with the noble Lord, Lord Lawson, in another place for a good many years. Although, I suppose, there were a great many questions on which we did not see

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eye to eye, I always had. if I may say so, profound admiration both for his integrity and for his deep humanity. Those qualities, I thought, were very apparent in the charming speech which he delivered to your Lordships this afternoon; and though I do not say that we on this side of the House accept quite all his conclusions, there was at any rate a great deal in what he said with which all of us, in whatever part of the House we may sit, will certainly agree.
The noble Lord, Lord Mountevans, who seconded, has, of course, a rather different past. He has not spent a very great part of his life in the hurly-burly of politics. He has stepped down into it from the more austere atmosphere of his quarter-deck. But he, too—perhaps be-cause of his previous marine experience— seems to me to have taken to political life like a duck takes to water. In the course of his speech he spoke of a great many questions of which he has personal know-ledge, and such speeches as that, as your Lordships know, are always heard here with deep attention. I am sure we shall all agree that both these noble Lords have acquitted themselves nobly in the delicate task which was set them, especially in these extremely magnificent but, to most of us, somewhat unfamiliar surroundings. The Mover and Seconder were just about controversial enough for their own side, but not too controversial for their political opponents. We have listened with great interest to what they had to say. I should like, if I may, respectfully to congratulate them and the House on such notable contributions to our deliberations. I beg to move.
Moved, That the debate be now adjourned.—(The Marquess of Salisbury.)
3.14 p.m.
VISCOUNT SAMUEL: My Lords, I would, with your permission, take advantage of the old custom of this House which renders it permissible for Privy Counsellors, irrespective of Party locations, to speak from this Box. Pending the re-arrangement of the seating accommodation of this House it would, I think be more convenient to the audience, and certainly to the speaker, that he should speak from a more central position, and not from the extreme wing, whether it be right or left. I confess to a certain feeling of envy of
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the House of Commons who, out of the disaster which befell their Chamber, have now been provided with a new Chamber which is compact, commodious and convenient, while here
"Yonder all before us lie,
Deserts of vast eternity."
Our proceedings to-day are limited to a few observations; first, indeed, to the moving and seconding of the Address to His Majesty, and afterwards to words of congratulation and welcome to the noble Lords who have performed the task of proposing and seconding that Motion. I listened with great interest to the noble Lord, Lord Lawson, not only because of what he said, but also on account of the man who said it. Many of your Lord-ships no doubt will have read with deep interest the autobiography which he wrote under the title A Man's Life. It was a remarkable book. I remember the late Philip Guedalla saying that autobiography is an unrivalled means of telling the truth about other people. But Lord Lawson not only told the truth about other people, he told it about himself and about the hard realities of his own life. He went into the mines in Durham at the age of twelve years. He was a member of a large family, and his father was a miner, earning the wages which were paid to miners then. Lord Lawson tells in his book how often he had to go hungry. But his energies, his abilities, his enthusiasm for social progress, led his comrades to pro-mote him to all the offices within their gift, one after the other.
He went to Ruskin College, Oxford, and was offered a scholarship to the university. But he was among those who complained, as many working people have done, that there were some in their own ranks who, having had opened to them, through their own merits and abilities, higher positions in society, had abandoned their class and risen out of it, instead of striving to remain in it and so bringing it upwards along with themselves. Mr. Lawson, as he then was, was of a different spirit; he forwent a university education, although he was qualified to obtain all the benefits of it, and went back to his comrades in the pits. They sent him to Parliament in 1919; he was in the Government in 1924, and he was Secretary of State for War in 1945 and 1946. And now, to our great satisfaction, he has joined your Lordships' House.

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I remember that when reading his book, to which I have just alluded, I made a note of one thing which he wrote, and I came across it, almost by accident, a few days ago. Lord Lawson wrote:
"If there must be a House of Lords, why not select them from the 'big putters' in the Durham collieries. They would certainly supply virility and initiative and lend a lot of colour to the Gilded Chamber."
Little did he think, when he wrote those lines a good many years ago, that he himself, in a later stage of his career, would be one of those pit-boys who would find themselves members of this Chamber. Over 500 new peerages have been created during the present century. Many of those created during the régime of the present Government have been drawn directly from the working classes, and they have added new strength to this Assembly. Lord Lawson himself is one of those forerunners. He is now in his seventieth year, and he comes to an Assembly in which that is regarded as just entering upon the prime of life. As we see, he has bodily health and mental vigour which should make this not the end of his career but the beginning of a new one.
With the noble Lord, Lord Mountevans, I have rot had the same long acquaintance as I have had with the Mover of the Motion. Authors in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, writing dedications, would invoke the Muses: but we are accustomed to invoke Who's Who. I find that the noble Lord, Lord Mountevans, is younger than the Mover of the Motion, but only by twelve days. Both were born in the same year and in the same month, so that both are on the verge of becoming septuagenarians. None the less, we welcome them as Mover and Seconder of the humble Address, which has always been regarded in the House of Commons and in your Lordships' House as an opportunity for bringing forward "promising young men." By House of Lords standards, that is what is being done to-day. The noble Lord, Lord Mountevans, has had a career of outstanding distinction in gallantry and leadership, in naval service in time of war, and in Arctic exploration. His life, in fact, is almost like a Nordic saga of adventure and discovery. We welcome both noble Lords to further debates in this House and thank them for acting to-day as our spokesmen.
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As to the contents of the gracious Speech, that is not for us to discuss to-day. This is only the overture. To-morrow, the curtain will rise on Act I, Scene I, of the new Session. How many scenes and how many acts of this Session will be completed no one knows, possibly not even the producers. At any moment the curtain may fall suddenly in the middle of a solo or of a chorus. But these are matters also not for to-day but for to-morrow. To day we would congratulate the Mover and the Seconder and thank them for their services.
On Question, Motion agreed to, and debate adjourned accordingly.

ROLL OF THE LORDS
The LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House, That the Clerk of the Parliaments had prepared and laid on the Table the Roll of the Lords: The same was ordered to be printed.

CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES
3.22 p.m.
THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (VISCOUNT ADDISON): My Lords, I beg to move, that the Earl of Drogheda be appointed to take the Chair in all Committees of this House for this Session.
Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to nemine dissentiente.

DEPUTY CHAIRMEN OF COMMITTEES
VISCOUNT ADDISON: My Lords, I beg to move that the noble Lords, Lord Stanmore, Viscount Mersey, Lord Teynham, Lord Holden, Lord Merthyr, Lord Blackford, Lord O'Hagan, Lord Terrington and Lord Crook be appointed to act as Deputy Chairmen of Committees for this Session.
Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to nemine dissentiente.
Committee for Privileges—Appointed.
Committee for the Journals—Appointed.
Appeal Committee—Appointed.
Stoppages in the Streets—Order to prevent, renewed.

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
VISCOUNT ADDISON: My Lords, I have another Motion which I hope will be clear to your Lordships. I beg to move to resolve that whenever during the pre-sent Session of Parliament the House stands adjourned, and it appears to the satisfaction of the Lord Chancellor (or, if the Lord Chancellor is absent, to the satisfaction of the Lord Chair-man of Committees after consultation with His Majesty's Government) that the public interest requires that the House should meet at any earlier times during such adjournment, the Lord Chancellor or the Lord Chairman of Committees, as the case may be, may give notice to the Peers that he is so satisfied, and there-upon the House shall meet at the time stated in such Notice, and shall transact its business as if it had been duly adjourned to that time.
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Moved to resolve. That whenever during the present Session of Parliament the House stands adjourned, and it appears to the satisfaction of the Lord Chancellor (or, if the Lord Chancellor is absent, to the satisfaction of the Lord Chairman of Committees after consultation with His Majesty's Government) that the public interest requires that the House should meet at any earlier time during such adjournment, the Lord Chancellor or the Lord Chairman of Committees, as the case may be, may give notice to the Peers that he is so satisfied, and there-upon the House shall meet at the time stated in such Notice, and shall transact its business as if it had been duly adjourned to that time.—(Viscount Addison.)
On Question, Motion agreed to, and ordered accordingly.
House adjourned at twenty-four minutes past three o'clock.