Coll 6/9 'Jeddah Reports Jany 1931–' [‎334v] (669/802)

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Annex “ A to Enclosure.
(Translation.)
Extract f rom “ l]mm-al-Q ura " of January 15, 1932
Regulation concerning the Council of Ministers. "
(After Compliments.)
A high decree has been issued sanctioning the following regulation :—
Article 1. The Council of Ministers (Majlis-al-Wukalaa) is composed of
the President of the Council (Rais-al-Majlis), the Under-Secretary for Foreign
Affairs ( Wakil Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. -al-Kharijiya), the head of the Finance Department ( Wakil Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. -al-
Maliya), and the Vice-President of the Legislative Assembly ( Wakil Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. -ash-Shuri).
Art. 2. The President of the Council of Ministers, in the absence of His
Majesty the King, becomes ex officio Viceroy of His Majesty (Naib-al-Amm), but
when His Majesty is present he will be President of the Council of Ministers only.
Art. 3. The Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. of the Council at the present time directs the
Viceroy's Office (Niyabat-al-Amma) and the Ministries of Interior (Wazarat-ad-
Dakhiliya) and Foreign Affairs (Wazarat-al-Kharijiya) and the War Depart
ments (al Askariya).
Art. 4. The Council of Ministers shall have a general office (diwan), which
will be under the charge of a chief responsible for the administration of its
affairs. This office shall issue instructions to the Ministries (Wakalat) and
Departments (Idarat), whether emanating from the Council of Ministers or from
the President thereof, either in his capacity as President or in his capacity as
Viceroy of His Majesty during the latter's absence.
Art. 5. The Council of Ministers derives its authority from His Majesty
the King; the Ministers (Wukalaa) are jointly responsible to His Majesty the
King for the general policy of the country, and each of them is responsible also
for the affairs of his Ministry (Wazara).
Art. 6. The decisions of the Council of Ministers will be taken in
accordance with the opinion of the majority. No decision may be executed unless
it bears the signature of the majority and includes the signature of the Minister
( Wakil Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. ) whom the decision primarily concerns.
Art. 7. In the event of a difference of opinion arising between the Ministers
(Wukalaa) on any matter, or when opposition is raised to any decision made by the
majority, the President of the Council, when he is Viceroy, if the matter is an
important one, can order the execution of the decision on his own responsibility.
If the matter is one which can be postponed for submission to His Majesty the
King, the President should defer its execution until he has referred it to His
Majesty for his gracious command.
Art. 8. The Ministers (Wukalaa) may make enquiries from each other and
may ask for the production of a written explanation concerning the action of
their colleagues in regard bo decisions taken, the execution of which has been
entrusted to those colleagues or to one of them The colleague responsible must
produce such an explanation, and when difficulty is experienced in bringing about
agreement between the party asking for it and the party responsible, the matter
should be referred to His Majesty the King so that the party asking for the
explanation mav he freed from responsibility.
Art. 9. The President of the Council is the channel through which Royal
Orders are issued to the Government Departments (Dawair) and Ministries
(Wakalat), and he is the authority to whom these Departments (Dawair) should
address themselves in their official dealings.
Art. 10. Should any Minister ( Wakil Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. ) or other head of a Department or any
subordinate happen to think of a new matter, which may he beneficial or which
may serve to avoid an abuse, when such matter is not provided for in the
regulations of the Government nor laid down in the relevant arrangements, he
should submit it in writing to the President of the Council for the latter to
consider it, add his observations thereto and refer it, together with the observa
tions, to His Majesty the King for his gracious command as to what should be
done in the matter.
Art. 11. If the President of the Council should direct one of the Ministers
fWukalaa) to execute an order which is not provided for in the regulations laid