the Governo.

information or conside ation

(WIL

8.

General Petitions to The Queen from British Subjects and British Protected Persons.

(a)

Petitions from British subjects and British Protected Persons should be submitted to The Queen either by a formal submission signed by the Secretary of State or by a note from the Private Secretary to the Queen's Private Secretary. The more important petitions only will require formal submission. In either case the petition should be submitted by the Department with proposals as to the advice of the Secretary of State

9.

(b)

(c)

as to the action, if any, to be taken, and the reply to be returned to the petitioner. Petitions on personal questions should be accompanied by a brief statement of the facts of the case and of the reasons for the advice tendered to The Queen.

Where the Secretary of State agrees that a petition should not be entertained, his advice should take the form that the reply to the petition should be that "the petition has been laid before Her Majesty but the Secretary of State was unable to advise Her Majesty that the petition should be granted". In some cases it may be suitable to add an expression of regret.

The general procedure for dealing with petitions to The Queen is as in paragraph 14 below. But since the reply has to be given in The Queen's name, it is particularly important to avoid delay, and therefore, if the Governor is asked for a report, he may also be asked to expedite it. The procedure should be carried out as promptly as possible at all stages.

Petitions to The Queen in Council,

(a) There is no right in the subject to petition the Queen in Council, except under special statutory provision but petitions cap, under Section 4 of 3 and 4 William IV, cap. 41, be referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council if the Secretary of State so recommends All petitions addressed to Her Majesty in Counc1⁄4 should be sent to the Privy Council Office.

(b)

(c)

If they appear to be intended for the Judicial Committee they should be referred to Legal Executive Branch, who should:-

(d)

(1)

forward them to the Registrar of the Committee and ask him to advise how they should be treated; and

(11)

consider with the overseas Government concerned whether any steps should be taken in connection with the petition on behalf of the Crown (cChapter 4, Section F below).

If they do not appear to be intended for the Judicial Committee they should be sent to the Clerk to the Privy Council. If the matter to which a petition relates is not a matter in which a petition lies to Her Majesty in Council, it should be stated that the Secretary of State is advised that the petition does not lie to Her Majesty in Council and that he proposes, if the Lord President of the Council agrees, to cause the petitioner to be so informed and to treat it as though it were a petition to Her Majesty in person. On the receipt of a reply from the Clerk

the Privy Council, indicating concurrence in the course proposed, and batera minna nim iken in pply in tik HEYTHMHZ 4*

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