VOLUME 8
words should be used:
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9.6 - 9.7
C
the
For petitions sent through the OAG and the Secretary of State: petition has been laid before the Counsellors of State, to whom The Queen has delegated her powers in this matter by Letters Patent, but that" (in cases of refusal) "the Secretary of State was unable to advise The Queen that the petition should be granted."
For petitions sent direct to the Palace and referred to the Secretary of State for disposal: " ... the Counsellors of State, in the exercise of the powers delegated to them by Her Majesty by Letters Patent, have referred the petition to the Secretary of State who has given it careful consideration but" (in cases of refusal) "regrets that he feels unable to advise The Queen to issue any Commands thereon".
Replies should be signed by the Head of the geographical Department and passed to the petitioner through the OAG.
9.5.17 Petitions to The Queen arising from judgments of Courts.
Petitions arising from judgments of Courts of a DT addressed to Her Majesty (not to Her Majesty in Council) should be treated as ordinary petitions to The Queen, and answered "Her Majesty is unable to review the decision of the Court in
... except upon a petition to
Her Majesty in Council presented in accordance with the law and practice regulating such petitions". If, however, the petition is from a convicted criminal praying for the exercise of the Prerogative of Mercy the procedure in Chapter 12 should be followed.
9.5.18 Second or subsequent petitions to The Queen from the same person on the same subject should not be submitted to The Queen unless new facts of importance are disclosed. In such a case the new documents are treated in all respects as a new petition (see para 9.4.5).
9.6
PETITIONS TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY
There is no right to petition any other member of the Royal Family and any document asking for their intervention in matters relating to a DT should be sent to the OAG, who informs the author of the document of the correct method of petitioning The Queen. See Colonial Regulation 173.
9.7
PETITIONS SENT DIRECT TO THE PRIME MINISTER
If the Prime Minister's Private Secretary indicates that a reply is to be sent from the Prime Minister, a submission should be made in the manner laid down in DSP Volume 3 para 4.2 either providing an immediate reply, or proposing that the Prime Minister should inform the petitioner that his petition has been sent for advice to the OAG of the DT. The subsequent procedure is as in para 9.4. If no such requirement is indicated by the Prime Minister's Private Secretary, the petition should be treated as if it had been sent direct to the Secretary of State (see para 9.8):
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