Lords Sitting of 7 November 1990

THE QUEEN'S SPEECH
The QUEEN, being seated on the Throne, and attended by Her Officers of State (the Lords being in their robes), commanded the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, through the Lord Great Chamberlain, to let the Commons know, "It is Her Majesty's pleasure they attend Her immediately in this House".
Who being come, with their Speaker:
Her Majesty was pleased to speak as follows:
"My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
I look forward to visiting the United States of America in May and being present on the occasion of, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Zimbabwe next Autumn.
"My Government attach the highest priority to national security, and to the preservation of international peace with freedom and justice. They will give full support to NATO as the basis for collective Western defence, and will maintain adequate and effective nuclear and conventional forces. They will play a full part in adapting NATO strategy and will take forward work on restructuring our forces to reflect the welcome changes in Europe and threats to peace in other parts of the world.
"My Government will work for balanced and verifiable measures of arms control. They welcome the prospect of an agreement on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and will be active in further negotiations on this, and in the multilateral negotiations in Geneva on the abolition of chemical weapons.
"My Government will continue to uphold the purposes and principles of the United Nations. My
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Government will work with the utmost determination, together with our Allies and the whole international community, for the unconditional implementation of the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council which require the withdrawal of Iraq from Kuwait, and the restoration of the independence and legitimate government of Kuwait. My Government will maintain their efforts to secure the release of all Britons held hostage or detained in Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, and elsewhere in the Middle East. My Government will continue to work for long-term peace in the Middle East including a settlement of the Palestinian problem.
"My Government will host the next Economic Summit in London in July.
"My Government will work to strengthen still further the good relations between the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, and to buttress the new democracies in Eastern Europe. They will play an active part in the Paris meeting of Heads of State and Government of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.
"My Government welcome the unification of Germany and look forward to working closely with the Government of the United Germany.
"My Government will continue to work with our Community partners to complete the Single Market; to reinforce budgetary discipline; to continue reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and to bring about a successful conclusion to the Uruguay round of multilateral trade negotiations. They will contribute constructively to the inter-governmental conferences on Economic and Monetary Union and Community institutions beginning in December. They welcome the new European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to London.
"My Government will promote further international co-operation on environmental issues.
"My Government will maintain a substantial aid programme aimed at promoting sustainable economic and social progress and good government in developing countries.
"My Government will continue their policy of encouragement to all sides in South Africa to enter negotiations to create through peaceful means a democratic non-racial society.
"My Government will work vigorously to fulfil their responsibilities for Hong Kong, building on the Sino-British Joint Declaration. They will honour their commitments to the people of the Falkland Islands.
"My Government will continue to play a full part in the Commonwealth.
"My Government will maintain their fight against terrorism in the United Kingdom and overseas.
"Members of the House of Commons,
Estimates for the Public Service will be laid before you.
"My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
My Government will maintain firm financial policies, strengthened by the Exchange Rate Mechanism, designed to reduce inflation and foster the conditions necessary for sustained growth. They will continue to promote enterprise and improve the working of the economy.
"They will maintain firm control of public expenditure with the aim of keeping its share of national income on a downward trend.
"A Bill will be introduced to facilitate contractor operation of the Atomic Weapons Establishment. Legislation will be introduced to provide for the sale of the Insurance Services business of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.
"My Government will promote improved efficiency and safety in transport. Legislation will be introduced to encourage privately financed roads; to reform procedures for streetworks; to improve road traffic; to convert trust ports into private companies; and to provide for a second Severn crossing.
"Legislation will be introduced to improve arrangements for compensation for compulsory purchase of land and buildings and to make the town and country planning system more efficient.
"My Government will continue to work for the regeneration of our cities.
"My Government will vigorously pursue their policies in fighting crime. A Bill will be brought forward for England and Wales to deal with sentencing of offenders and to strengthen the parole system.
"My Government will work vigorously to combat the trafficking and misuse of drugs nationally and internationally.
"My Government are concerned to strengthen parental responsibility for children. Measures will be introduced to improve the assessment, collection and enforcement of maintenance.
"A Bill will again be brought before you to give our courts the jurisdiction to try alleged war criminals.
"My Government will continue to take action to improve quality in education. A Bill will be introduced to establish new machinery for negotiating the pay and conditions of school teachers in England and Wales.
"My Government will continue to work to improve the quality of Health and Social Services.
"In Northern Ireland, My Government will be resolute in their efforts to defeat terrorism: a Bill will be introduced to replace existing anti-terrorism legislation. They will sustain their efforts to secure political progress, to strengthen the economy and to promote mutual respect and trust throughout the community. They will maintain positive relations with the Republic of Ireland.
"For Scotland, a Bill will be introduced to create a Natural Heritage Agency to achieve an integrated approach to conservation and countryside matters.
"Legislation will be introduced to provide new benefits for disabled people.
"Other measures will be laid before you.
"My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsels."
House adjourned during pleasure.
House resumed at half-past three of the clock: The LORD CHANCELLOR On the Woolsack.
Prayers—Read by the Lord Bishop of Exeter.

Roll of the Lords
Prepared by the Clerk of the Parliaments: Ordered to lie on the Table, and to be printed.
Select Vestries
Bill pro forma, read a first time.
Select Vestries

  ADDRESS IN REPLY TO HER MAJESTY'S MOST GRACIOUS SPEECH
  The Queen's Speech reported by the LORD CHANCELLOR.
  3.45 p.m.
  Lord Kimball: My Lords, I beg to move, That a humble Address be presented to Her Majesty as follows:
  "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".
  It is a very humbling and special occasion to be asked to beg leave to thank, on behalf of all your Lordships, Her Majesty for the gracious Speech. Perhaps I may add the loyal feelings and admiration which all Members of your Lordships' House have for Her Majesty, her family and the untiring work that they do within this kingdom, the Commonwealth and the wider world, and to wish Her Majesty well on the two visits she is to make abroad.
  Noble Lords: Hear, hear!
  Lord Kimball: My Lords, this is the tenth Parliament of Her Majesty's reign. The opening of the previous 31 Sessions was the responsibility of the late Lord Great Chamberlain who performed this task with all the care, charm and precision he devoted to the responsibilities of the great office of state exercised by his family during Her Majesty's reign. What a pleasure it is to all of your Lordships, and to the friends of the family, to see the present Lord Great Chamberlain carrying on the family tradition in a way in which his father would be proud.
  Noble Lords: Hear, hear!
  Lord Kimball: My Lords, those of your Lordships who have had the honour to be asked to move this Address know that after soundings from the Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms, the formal invitation comes in a letter from my noble friend the Leader of the House. As I read it, I was very conscious of the fact that almost 44 years ago to the day I was forced to explain to the then Mr. Ganzoni, the newest of new boys, that if he did not keep my room tidy and stop burning my toast at tea he would never make a success of his life. Our respective positions in this House prove how timely that warning was!
  I cannot guess what has assuaged the Government's appetite for legislation. We are still faced with a vigorous and wide-ranging programme of some 16 Bills and other measures. In fact in the last Session of Parliament we passed no fewer than 45 Acts, although only 15 were mentioned in the gracious Speech. I do not know how we shall progress this time. There is no question that the words of each of the proposers of the Motion for the past three Sessions may have had some effect. But the desire to expedite the parliamentary process by any reform of our procedures makes it easier for a Government to pass their legislation. Time is the weapon of the Opposition; we blunt it at our peril.
  One thing is certain: many of your Lordships must give many hours to revising work in the coming Session. Even though there are fewer Bills some, such as the Natural Heritage Agency in Scotland, follow
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  from legislation passed during the previous Session. However certain that may be, two major uncertainties face us at the beginning of this Session. The first is the unconditional implementation of the United Nations Security Council resolution on Kuwait. The gracious Speech confirms the Government's unwaivering purpose. We all hope that, contrary to previous experience, sanctions will work. However, the similarity of the situation—the illegal occupation and the mass of propaganda—reminds us all of the period before the last time that the volunteer forces, one of whose uniforms I am privileged to wear today, were embodied. For the past 45 years the role of those volunteers has been an important part of the support that this country has given to NATO. That has resulted in freedom for the peoples of Eastern Europe. There is nothing I can add today to the informed debate that your Lordships had on the Middle East in early September. I can add only that we all hope that the solution can be achieved without bloodshed.
  Secondly, and nearer home, I speak as one who in another place represented a major agricultural constituency. I must tell your Lordships that I can never remember a period of greater uncertainty in the countryside. The gracious Speech mentions the multilateral trade negotiations now taking place in Uruguay and the need for a continued reform of the common agricultural policy. These negotiations are the most significant and wide-ranging trade talks, and agriculture is the key area under discussion. The economies of all countries in the world stand to benefit from the successful outcome of these negotiations.
  Her Majesty's Government are insisting that the reform of the common agricultural policy must be on a fair and equal basis among all the Community states. A figure of a 30 per cent. cut in support has been mentioned and, of course, in the case of Great Britain that is backdated to 1986. Therefore, the British farmers have already endured nearly 22 per cent. of that cut. An appreciation of that fact reduces the uncertainty now facing the agricultural community. The health of the countryside is not helped by the livestock market's decline caused by a reduction in the number of people eating meat, the disruption caused by the Middle East crisis, over-supply, Eastern Europe and, above all, the disruption by the French of Community free trade.
  Other measures are promised. As chairman of the Government's Firearms Consultative Committee I must warn your Lordships that the full financial implications of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 will come before this House this Session. The only way to mitigate their impact will be to extend the licensing periods. Firearms consultations have given me the opportunity to meet many distinguished police officers during the course of the past year. Throughout the kingdom they all stressed that their major problem is the lethal poison of drugs in our society. I welcome the promise in the gracious Speech of further vigorous measures against drug trafficking. There are few towns in Great Britain today where drugs are not available. Worse still is the targeted pushing by the traffickers towards our school children. I do not wish to say

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  anything controversial on this occasion, but it is my personal belief that we have all learnt to live with and respect the breathalyser for random testing. We may well have to move towards the random testing for drugs in schools.
  There are better places to be than London in November. I must admit to remarkably few attendances in either House at the opening of Parliament. Plenty of Peers want to attend. In fact the real parliamentary battle comes much later in the Session. However, at the start of such an important parliamentary Session, and one at the end of which there may be an important judgment, I hope that some Members of both Houses will reflect on the advice given as long ago as 1862 by the then Mr. Bromley Davenport, a Member of another place. In his Dream of an Old Meltonian he wrote:
  "Ride Straight for truth's timber no matter how strong. I'll pound you safe over. Sit steady and quiet".
  To complete the programme outlined in the gracious Speech many will need to remain firm and silent and sit steady and quiet.
  My Lords, I beg to move the Motion for a humble Address to Her Majesty.
  Moved, that a humble Address be presented to Her Majesty in the following terms:
  "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 Kimball).
  3.54 p.m.
  The Earl of Shrewsbury: My Lords, I beg to second my noble friend's Motion for a humble Address in reply to Her Majesty's most gracious Speech.
  To have been given such a task is a great honour. I am grateful to my noble friends the Leader of the House and the Chief Whip for bestowing the privilege upon me. In the light of my critical speech made during the previous Session on the findings of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report into the supply of beer I can only think that there was considerable merit in my words or that I have been forgiven my misdemeanours. My noble friend Lord Kimball led me on that occasion too and proferred many constructive comments to your Lordships. I cannot help but think that, as we have been paired once again today, my noble friend and I are rapidly becoming the terrible twins of your Lordships' House!
  When I was asked to take a part in today's proceedings I was given advice by many friends. They suggested that in recent years few Peers from Staffordshire have had this privilege. I consulted the Librarian of the House, who informed me that my late father never spoke in your Lordships' House; nor did my great grandfather, the previous Earl. They were indeed sensible men. They never suffered the pre-race nerves that have been my constant companion during the past few days.
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  To wear court dress is completely new to me. It is entirely the fault of my noble friend the Chief Whip, coupled with my noble cousin Lord Mowbray. My noble kinsman told me that as he is the heir general to the Talbot family, of which I am but a mere junior member, he would insist that I was correctly dressed. Even my wife does not recognise me. It is just as well!
  To have the pleasure of following my noble friend Lord Kimball is also a great honour. I know that he had a most distinguished career in another place. Even more important to me is the fact that he shares my interest in the well-being of the countryside, in country pursuits and in the folk who live in rural areas, all of which I hold dear. Life is not always a party in those areas. The upkeep of rural communities is becoming increasingly more difficult. Your Lordships' support of matters rural is most important and it is warmly welcomed by those who live and work in those communities.
  In addition, my noble friend represented an East Midlands constituency. He and I have our homes in the East Midlands and I work in the West Midlands. What an important part of the United Kingdom is the Midlands. The region's historical fabric of agriculture together with commerce and industry has always been at the heart of this nation's economic success. Long may that situation continue.
  Her Majesty's most gracious Speech is always the high point of the parliamentary year. We in this House, together with Members of another place and the country in general, wait with much interest to learn the intended programme for the forthcoming Session. In the past, the parliamentary work schedule has been very heavy and this new Session promises to be no different. By now our wives are used to us returning home at late hours. Indeed, I heard from a noble friend that his wife had recently presented him with a new coconut doormat into which had been woven the legend: "And what time do you call this"!
  The gracious Speech refers to a full part being played by the Government in the Commonwealth. I am certain that all noble Lords will support that excellent statement. With member nations coming from the territories in the six continents and five oceans, the Commonwealth, with Her Majesty at its head, is surely the true example of global co-operation. Its expanding nature bears testimony to its past successes and the confidence with which it is viewed by very many in the present day.
  I am delighted to hear in the gracious Speech that further moves designed to improve and enhance our transport system are planned. As one who is interested in the subject and who appreciates the tremendous cost incurred by commerce and industry as a result of an ageing and inadequate transport network, like many of your Lordships I warmly welcome that good news. A great deal has been done in recent years in that area, but there is still much to do. The demands placed upon the country's infrastructure by the motor vehicle alone grow daily, and there is a very real need to look forward with much greater flexibility and awareness to solve potential problems before they arise.

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  Her Majesty's gracious Speech refers to a continuation of the work to help the regeneration of our cities, and both the public and private sectors in the development field have started to tackle that problem with varying degrees of success. It is not always easy to attract interest into refurbished properties in a previously run-down city area. Attitudes and perceptions must be altered and as always there must be sound financial reasons on a commercial basis with which one can attract potential customers. However, there are interesting schemes for development in the pipeline at present such as the proposed redevelopment of Birmingham's Bull Ring Centre, and the redevelopment of the Fort Dunlop site, which is a landmark, at the side of the M.6 motorway. Any moves to improve the situation in our cities by the supply of low-cost housing within the total equation of regeneration in general would be welcomed by many.
  That inevitably brings me on to the subject of planning. Like many of your Lordships, I very much welcome proposed legislation to improve and simplify the town and country planning system. That can only be beneficial. Planning is, by its very nature, a complex and contentious issue which all too often adds further complication and a great deal of extra cost to already highly involved schemes. Often the effects of bad planning last for many generations, as can be seen by many of the structures put up in the 1960s, and have a considerable impact in both economic and social terms. I know that when this subject is discussed by your Lordships, it will attract many interesting and highly informed speakers. That promises to be a most lively debate.
  As a parent, I believe that the family unit is the single most important component of the fabric of daily life. Certainly without my family I should be very much the poorer. I hasten to add that I mean poorer in non-financial terms. School fees are a terrible burden. I warmly welcome any effort made to strengthen parental responsibility including the enforcement and collection of maintenance. I find it quite in possible to understand how a parent can reject his or her responsibilities to their children, and I am sure that a very great measure of support will be forthcoming on all parts of your Lordships' House when the opportunity arises.
  While touching upon the most important subject of the family, it would be very remiss of me to pass comments without reference to a subject which has touched everyone's heart this year. Of course I refer to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's 90th birthday last summer. Her Majesty has always been the epitome of so many good qualities, and she is a shining example of selflessness, responsibility and a caring for others which is so often sadly lacking in modern day life. Her Majesty's exceptional qualities are not only attributed to sound family life but also a lesson to us all.
  Finally, I thank noble Lords for listening to me with the patience and forbearance which is so much a hallmark of proceedings in your Lordships' House.
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  My Lords, I beg to second my noble friend's Motion for a humble Address to Her Majesty.
  4.5 p.m.
  Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos: My Lords, I beg to move that this debate be adjourned until tomorrow.
  It gives me great pleasure to congratulate the proposer and the seconder of the Motion upon their most interesting speeches. The noble Lord, Lord Kimball, who was the assiduous Member for Gainsborough in another place for many years, gave us in his speech the flavour of his public interests. As he made clear, one of those interests is the countryside upon which the noble Lord speaks with experience and conviction. I fully sympathise with his reference to the problems of farmers, and hill farmers in particular at present. The gracious Speech mentions the reform of the CAP. We shall be returning to that subject in the course of our debate.
  However, the noble Lord was right to refer to the uncertainty which is felt in the countryside at present, and the duty of the Government to seek to make a response to that. We much appreciate the difficulties which Mr. John Gummer has faced and the fight which he has made, which we should admire. However, the difficulties remain and those must be taken very carefully into account by the Government.
  The speech of the noble Earl, Lord Shrewsbury, revealed also the range of his interests. I understand that one of those is transport. As we are' to have a package of transport Bills during the Session, the expectation is that the noble Earl will be kept very busy indeed. I know that the Government will be relying on the noble Earl both in debate and in the Division Lobby. We much admire the noble Earl's dress this afternoon; but the Government Chief Whip, who has been advising him about that, will be more concerned with his presence in the Lobby than in what he is wearing.
  It is a remarkable coincidence that both the noble Earl and the noble Lord share so many interests such as the countryside; the brewing industry; and their recreations. I have noted in the reference books that the noble Lord, Lord Kimball, lists his recreations as hunting, fishing and shooting, and the noble Earl lists his interests as hunting, racing and shooting. I noted that the main difference between the noble Lord and the noble Earl seems to be that the noble Lord went to Eton and the noble Earl to Harrow; but they are both a credit to their old schools.
  Turning to the gracious Speech, I must say to the noble Lord the Leader of the House that I welcome it particularly in one respect; namely, that it appears to be less burdensome than many we have had for many years. I know that noble Lords in all parts of the House will be glad about that. There is a whiff of the hustings about it. Bearing in mind the weight of legislation with which we have had to deal and the added complication of a flood of new amendments at a late stage, this House has a very worthy record as a revising Chamber, and many Acts of Parliament would be seriously flawed were it not for the hard work of noble Lords in all parts of the House.

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  We shall have some very important Bills with which to deal during the Session. We shall do our best to scrutinise and amend them where necessary. Those include the Criminal Justice Bill. While there are areas of that which we can support, nevertheless we have grave doubts about the proposal to privatise remand centres. That will come before us in due course.
  As I said earlier, there are to be four transport Bills. There again we shall be looking carefully at the proposed privately-funded road schemes. In Wales we still remember the Rebecca riots, and we do not wish to see a repeat of that. What the country really needs is a coherent transport policy, but I am not sure that two, three or four Bills will provide that.
  There are a number of Bills mentioned in the gracious Speech which seem to be relatively uncontroversial such as the matters referred to by the noble Earl; namely, planning, new benefits for the disabled; and other matters. I know that on those we shall take a helpful and constructive approach.
  However, if the legislative workload appears to be lighter as we face the new Session, we must recognise also that below the surface profoundly serious problems are seething. We shall be debating these problems over the next few days. In my estimation their gravity is so great as to make this the most important debate on the gracious Speech for many years past.
  We agree with the paragraph in the gracious Speech about Kuwait and Iraq. The crisis will be dealt with fully by noble Lords in the debate on foreign affairs next Tuesday. The state of the economy will be discussed on the final day. I must say that Ministers have a tendency to skate over that subject and to refer to maintaining firm financial policies. Again, those are the words in the gracious Speech. However, the experts, including the Government's friends, say that we are in the first lap of a recession; but the gracious Speech gives little indication of concern.
  I should have thought that the Government would take very seriously the warnings of the CBI. Its latest industry survey shows the largest drop in business confidence for 10 years. It states that demand has fallen much faster than expected, that optimism about exports has declined sharply, that lower investment is expected over the next year and that employment will fall by about 9,000 each month for several months to come. My noble friends Lord Williams and Lord Peston, and other noble Lords, will be dealing with these matters in detail next week and we hope that Ministers will respond openly and frankly about what is, in my view, a basic problem now facing the country. These are not days when we can afford to be complacent about Britain's economic future.
  The words of Mr. John Banham at the CBI conference yesterday should shake the Government. They certainly disturbed me. He said:
  "Before it is too late get your act together".
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  Those words from one of the leaders of the CBI, which is sympathetic to the Government, should cause the Chancellor of the Exchequer and indeed the Prime Minister to pause and think carefully.
  Finally, I refer to the turmoil which exists within the Government. It is a subject one cannot avoid. Personally, I much regretted the departure of Sir Geoffrey Howe from his office and from the Government. Sir Geoffrey was an outstanding member of the Prime Minister's Administration since 1979 and his decision to leave reveals a fatal flaw in the management of our affairs. It is very much in the public interest that this flaw should be recognised and remedied.
  The argument centres on Europe and the way our relations with the Eleven are handled. These are matters which will very much feature in this debate as it proceeds. Noble Lords opposite will also wish to consider how relations between the Prime Minister and senior and respected members of her party are handled, too. There are problems both at home and abroad. If these matters cannot be resolved perhaps the time has come for the Prime Minister to seek the views of the country in a general election. That would be preferable to months of bickering and uncertainty.
  In the meantime, the noble Lord, Lord Kimball, and the noble Earl, Lord Shrewsbury, have given this debate an excellent start, and we are most grateful to them. I beg to move that this debate be adjourned until tomorrow.
  Moved, That this debate he adjourned until tomorrow.—(Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos).
  4.14 p.m.
  Lord Jenkins of Hillhead: My Lords, I rise to support the Motion of the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn, and to endorse his felicitous words about the mover and the seconder of the Motion for a humble Address. I sat in the House of Commons for many years with the noble Lord, Lord Kimball. Indeed my memory goes back to when I spoke against him at the by-election in the Lincolnshire Wolds in 1956 when, if my memory is correct, my noble friend Lord Walston was the Labour candidate. The noble Lord, Lord Kimball, was thereafter always a forthright and respected spokesman on broad acres and rural values, which did not fail to embrace the virtues of hunting.
  As the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn, pointed out, the noble Earl, Lord Shrewsbury, also lists his recreations as lying in that direction. Therefore, I cannot help reflecting that if the noble Lord and the noble Earl had attended the National Trust annual general meeting at Llandudno on Saturday and deployed the same persuasive eloquence which they have shown this afternoon my wife's life might have been a little easier. Hunting raises passions; but it is clearly regarded by the Government as a less divisive subject than some others one can think of at present. For example, I would have enjoyed hearing the noble Lord, Lord Cockfield, moving or seconding the humble Address this afternoon.
  The noble Earl also takes me even further back than the Gainsborough by-election. It was at a

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  remarkable property of his family, already out of their possession and turned over to entertainment—Alton Towers—that nearly 49 years ago I first experienced frozen parade grounds and the fug of nissen huts on my introduction to army life.
  The noble Earl, on previous experience and certainly on the basis of his performance this afternoon, must feel the shadow of promotion to the Government Front Bench hanging over him; and he cannot console himself with the thought that there are no vacancies. Under this Government there are frequent and plentiful vacancies. Whatever else may be said about the Government, they cannot be accused of having a stultifying effect on ministerial promotion.
  I congratulate the noble Lord and the noble Earl most warmly and turn for a few minutes only to the gracious Speech as we have four days of solid debate to come. Except in the transport field, the Government must be acquitted of previous years' sins of overwhelming us with heavy legislation; but that is the most that can be said for the gracious Speech. It recalls to my mind two remarks of former leaders of the Conservative Party. Like Churchill's pudding, it has no theme. I also remember Arthur Balfour's remarks on a lecture to which he had listened. He said that parts of it were original and parts of it were true, but unfortunately the parts which were true were not original and the parts which were original were not true! I would rather say that parts of the gracious Speech are incontestable, such as,
  "Estimates for the Public Service will he laid"
  before the House of Commons. Parts are unfortunate; such as the reintroduction of the war criminals Bill. Parts are, frankly, incredible in view of the facts of the past few years; such as the reference that the Government,
  "welcome the unification of Germany",
  or that the Government's anti-inflation policy will be strengthened by the ERM—produced at a time when inflation is almost at its highest for a decade and after 11½ years of insisting that the position was the other way round and that inflation must come down before membership.
  The gracious Speech traditionally marks the opening of a parliamentary year, but I have a strong feeling today that this one may be seen in history more as marking the end of a political era.
  4.19 p.m.
  The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Belstead): My Lords, I rise to support the Motion of the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos, that the debate be adjourned until tomorrow. It is a pleasure to do so. From time to time, usually for reasons of procedure, the Leader of the Opposition has what might appear to be the unenviable task of supporting the Leader of the House, and I welcome the opportunity which this occasion provides to return the compliment. I do so as no mere formality, because my thanks are due to the noble Lord, to the noble Lord, Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, the noble Baroness, Lady Hylton-Foster, and all the members of the usual channels for their co-operation and wise counsel over the past year.
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  Without their good offices, this House would be unable to do the valuable work that it undoubtedly does.
  This is a day for looking forward and not back, but I should like for a moment to reflect that the last Session was perhaps one of the most interesting that I can remember. Two major Bills involved matters of individual conscience and on many other occasions we debated issues on which there were deeply held convictions.
  It was a full as well as an interesting Session, yet it finished six days ago and the State Opening has taken place today in the traditional first week of November. I believe that this reflects great credit on the way in which we conduct our proceedings, unique so far as I know among legislative Chambers around the world, in being a wholly self-regulating Chamber.
  I should like to thank the noble Lords, Lord Cledwyn and Lord Jenkins, for what they said about the speeches proposing and seconding the Motion for a humble Address. During the five years that my noble friend Lord Kimball has been a Member of your Lordships' House he has created his own particular role in our counsels, his interventions always having the hallmark of clarity and brevity, two qualities which are dear to the heart of every Chief Whip and indeed to all your Lordships. But I confess that I hesitated before inviting my noble friend to propose the humble Address today. It was not just because years ago he found me an unsatisfactory maker of toast and brewer of tea. Years ago, and I believe extending into Victorian times, your Lordships' House, so I understand, was accustomed to go into Recess from the summer until the end of the shooting season. I know that my noble friend deplores the passing of that custom.
  Nevertheless, once I had secured his acceptance, I was looking forward to my noble friend's speech, and I do not think that either I or your Lordships were disappointed. I welcome my noble friend's firm yet wise words about the Gulf crisis. I heed his warnings about the agricultural industry; I endorse his emphasis on the crucial importance of the GATT negotiations, and I am glad that my noble friend feels that this may be a less onerous programme, but one which will nonetheless give your Lordships plenty to do. It was good to see my noble friend in such excellent form today. I should like quite genuinely to repeat the time-honoured sentiment that I hope we shall hear from him on many future occasions.
  My noble friend Lord Shrewsbury is of course heir to one of the most illustrious titles in the land. My noble friend is not unique in your Lordships' House in bearing a name which Shakespeare spoke; but that makes him a member of a select band who represent a remarkable continuity in the history of our country, a continuity of which we can be very proud. I am glad to see that all the honours of my noble friend's title —Premier Earl on the rolls of England and Ireland and Hereditary Great Seneschal or Lord High Steward of Ireland—do not bear particularly heavily upon him. Indeed as deputy chairman of one of the country's largest building societies, my noble friend

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  certainly cannot be accused of living in the past. I was therefore particularly interested in what he had to say about housing and the regeneration of the inner cities.
  My noble friend has made a most interesting contribution to start the debate on the gracious Speech, for instance dealing with issues concerning transport, whose department is introducing no fewer than four Bills in the coming Session. I should like to give him my warmest congratulations on his speech today.
  Transport is a major theme of the legislative programme which the Government plan for this Session. Tomorrow my noble friend Lord Brabazon of Tara intends to introduce one of the most significant Bills in the programme, the New Roads and Streetworks Bill. My noble friend Lord Strathclyde will also introduce the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Bill, taking on the work your Lordships have so recently done on the Environmental Protection Bill. In the next few weeks I expect also that the Planning and Compensation Bill will be introduced into your Lordships' House. In addition to those three substantial Bills, my noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor will be introducing the Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Bill, and my noble friend Lady Hooper will introduce the Census (Confidentiality) Bill. If your Lordships do not feel that that is a sufficient diet for the first few weeks, I can say also that my noble friend Lord Ferrers will introduce the Maintenance Enforcement Bill.
  The arrangements for the remainder of the debate on the humble Address are that tomorrow we shall consider home and social affairs. My noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor will open for the Government and my noble friend Lord Henley will reply. On Monday next, your Lordships will turn to matters concerning the environment and transport. My noble friend Lord Brabazon will open the debate and my noble friend Lady Blatch will reply. Foreign affairs and defence will be debated next Tuesday. My noble friend Lord Caithness will open for the Government and my noble friend Lord Arran will reply. Finally, on Wednesday next, we shall debate the economy. I shall open the debate and my noble friend Lord Hesketh will reply.
  16
  I am pleased to support the Motion of the noble Lord the Leader of the Opposition that the debate be adjourned until tomorrow. I should like to join him and the noble Lord, Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, in warmly congratulating my noble friends who moved and seconded the Motion on the humble Address today.
  On Question, Motion agreed to, and debate adjourned accordingly until tomorrow.

Chairman of Committees
Lord Belstead: My Lords, I beg to move that the noble Lord, Lord Aberdare, be appointed to take the Chair in all Committees for this Session.
Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to nemine dissentiente.

Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees
Lord Belstead: My Lords, I beg to move that the noble Baroness, Lady Serota, be appointed Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees for this Session.
Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to nemine dissentiente.
Stoppages in the Streets—Ordered, That the Commmissioner of the Police of the Metropolis do take care that during the Session of Parliament the passages through the streets leading to this House be kept free and open; and that no obstruction be permitted to hinder the passage of the Lords to and from this House; and that no disorder be allowed in Westminster Hall, or in the passages leading to this House, during sitting of Parliament; and that there be no annoyance therein or thereabouts; and that the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod attending this House do communicate this order to the Commissioner aforesaid.
Appeal Committees—Two Appeal Committees were appointed pursuant to Standing Order.
Appellate Committees—Two Appellate Committees were appointed pursuant to Standing Order.
House adjourned at twenty-eight minutes past four o'clock.