TNAG-0115-FCO40-151-Departmental-briefs-for-Commonwealth-Prime-Minister-s-and-ot-1969 — Page 22

THE QUEEN'S SPEECHES ON THE PROROGATION

AND OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

36

Parliament is likely to be prorogued some time after 13 October; the new Session will be opened on or about 28 October. In accordance with the usual practice, a Committee of Ministers will be asked to prepare drafts of the Queen's Speeches on these two Occasions for consideration by the Cabinet. The Committee will probably start work in August and the Cabinet Office have asked for Foreign and Commonwealth Office contributions by Friday 8 August.

2.

I attach, for ease of reference, copies of the Speeches delivered at the Prorogation and Opening of Parliament on 25 and 30 October, 1968.

3. The Prorogation Speech normally deals with past events of importance while the Opening Speech looks ahead, notably to future legislation. Brevity is essential.

4. Departments who wish to propose passages for inclusion in either Speech should send them in draft form to me (Room 58, Downing Street West) by close of play on Friday 1 August. Nil returns are required.

(G.H. Grubb) Parliamentary Clerk

14 July, 1969

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51

15 JUL 1969

Distribution

HKK 1/13

Heads of

American Dept.

Arabian Dept.

Aviation, Marine

&

Telecommunications Dept.

Caribbean Dept.

Central & Southern

African Dept.

Commonwealth Co-

ordination Dept.

Consular Dept.

Cultural Relations Dept.

Defence Policy Dept.

Defence Training &

Supply Dept.

Disarmament Dept.

East African Dept. Eastern European &

Soviet Dept.

East-West Contacts Dept. European Integration Dept. Export Promotion Dept. Far Eastern Dept. U.N. (Pol.) Dept. West Indian Dept.

Western OrganisationsDept.

Financial Policy and Aid Dept. Gibraltar & South Atlantic Dept. Hong Kong Dept.

Information Policy Dept.

Information Research Dept.

Migration &Visa Dept.

Nationality & Treaty Dept. Near Eastern Dept. North African Dept. Oil Dept.

Pacific & Indian Ocean Dept.

P.U.S.D.

Protocol & Conference Dept.

Rhodesia Economic Dept.

Rhodesia Political Dept.

Science & Technology Dept. South Asian Dept.

South East Asian Dept. South-West Pacific Dept. Southern European Dept. Trade Policy Dept. U.N. (E.&S.) Dept. West African Dept. Western European Dept. For inf. Private Secretary