Subjects of Addresses

9.11Addresses have comprised matters of foreign1 or domestic policy;2 the administration of justice;3 the expression of congratulation or condolence (which is agreed to nemine contradicente by the Commons and nemine dissentiente by the Lords);4 public appointments;5 and, in short, representations upon all points connected with the government and welfare of the country; but they ought not to be presented in relation to any bill in either House of Parliament.6 Addresses have been presented praying that Her Majesty will give directions for the presentation, on behalf of the House of Commons, of gifts such as ceremonial maces or parliamentary libraries to legislatures of new Member States of the Commonwealth.7 Addresses are regularly moved as ‘prayers’ in the exercise of powers to seek to annul or revoke orders or regulations made by the Privy Council, Ministers or other authorities (see para 31.8 ). A motion for the return of papers held by the Privy Council or a department headed by a Secretary of State takes the form of an Address (see para 7.31 ). An Address may be moved by any Member of either House.8

Footnotes

  1. 1. CJ (1823) 278; ibid (1826–28) 114; ibid (1833) 471; assassination of President Lincoln, ibid (1865) 229; invasion of Belgium, 1914, LJ (1914) 402; CJ (1914) 449.
  2. 2. CJ (1830) 472, 651; appointment of a royal commission with power to examine witnesses on oath, ibid (1888) 46 (as to the administration of an oath by a royal commission, see 2 Todd 99; Parl Deb (1905) 147, c 1341, and by a tribunal of inquiry appointed at the instance of both Houses of Parliament, see Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921; CJ (1921) 55; LJ (1922) 46; CJ (1922) 27); reference of questions of law relating to the alleged disqualification of a Member to the judicial committee of the Privy Council, ibid (1912–13) 519.
  3. 3. CJ (1830) 472 (an Address to remove a judge from office).
  4. 4. On the birth of royal children, see eg LJ (1948–49) 20; ibid (1959–60) 131; ibid (2013-14) 385; CJ (1981–82) 426. On the deaths of sovereigns and on succession to the throne, LJ (1901) 8; CJ (1901) 6; LJ (1951–52) 85; CJ (1951–52) 93. On succession to the throne, LJ (1936–37) 63; CJ (1936–37) 60. On the deaths of members of the royal family, see eg LJ (1951–52) 85; CJ (1951–52) 93; LJ (1952–53) 134; CJ (1952–53) 158; LJ (1964–65) 229; CJ (1964–65) 200; LJ (2001–02) 463; ibid (2001–02) 596–99; CJ (2001–02) 445, when the House observed a minute's silence. On royal marriages, LJ (1893–94) 325; CJ (1893–94) 434; ibid (1980–81) 450. On royal anniversaries, LJ (1897) 255; CJ (1976–77) 284; ibid (2001–02) 509; ibid (2010–12) 1204. On notable birthdays of the sovereign, CJ (2005–06) 570; LJ (2005–06) 749; Lords Minutes of Proceedings, 21 April 2016; Votes and Proceedings, 21 April 2016. On notable birthdays of the Queen Mother, Prince Consort and Prince of Wales, see eg LJ (1979–80) 1360; CJ (1979–80) 754; LJ (1989–90) 583; CJ (1989–90) 546; LJ (1999–2000) 584; CJ (1999–2000) 494; LJ (2010–12) 1180; CJ (2010–12) 685; Votes and Proceedings, 14 November 2018; Lords Minutes of Proceedings (2017–19), 14 November 2018. On the deaths of foreign royal personages or heads of State, see eg LJ (1914) 247; CJ (1914) 303; LJ (1963–64) 28; CJ (1963–64) 22. In respect of other public events: conclusion of the armistice, LJ (1918) 291; CJ (1918) 250; victory in Europe, LJ (1944–45) 114; CJ (1944–45) 128; victorious conclusion of the war, LJ (1945–46) 31; CJ (1945–46) 17; departure of Queen Elizabeth on Commonwealth tour and return, LJ (1953–54) 19, 187; CJ (1953–54) 26, 204; LJ (1961–62) 50; death of Sir W Churchill, CJ (1964–65) 110. The sympathy of the legislature on the occasion of royal deaths has been expressed in the Address in reply to the Gracious Speech, LJ (1862–63) 6; CJ (1862) 7; LJ (1892) 7; CJ (1892) 10; LJ (1896) 16; CJ (1896) 13. For fuller references, see Erskine May (21st edn, 1989), p 567.
  5. 5. A motion for an Address to make a public appointment has been disagreed on division, Votes and Proceedings, 23 January 2018.
  6. 6. LJ (1666–75) 72, 81, 88; CJ (1660–67) 67; 1 Grey Deb 5. For the application of this rule to legislation by the Tynwald, see HC Deb (1959–60) 620, c 678.
  7. 7. See eg CJ (1987–88) 253. An Address to Her Majesty from a recipient legislature relating to such a gift has been ordered to be entered in the Journal of the House of Commons, ibid (1967–68) 396.
  8. 8. See for example Votes and Proceedings, 24 January 2018.