Lords second reading. Committee negatived. Standing Order 44 having been dispensed with, Lords third reading. Bill passed.

Lords second reading. Committee negatived. Standing Order 44 having been dispensed with, Lords third reading. Bill passed.

My Lords, this Bill relates to the sovereign grant, which Parliament has provided to support the official duties of the monarch and the work of the Royal Household.

The Bill implements the conclusions of a recent royal trustees’ review of the sovereign grant. It does three things. First, it will reset...

My Lords, this Bill relates to the sovereign grant, which Parliament has provided to support the official duties of the monarch and the work of the Royal Household.

The Bill implements the conclusions of a recent royal trustees’ review of the sovereign grant. It does three things. First, it will reset...

My Lords, I support the Minister in his aims and am pleased that he set out so well the important work that the Royal Family does on behalf of our country, promoting our diplomatic efforts, entertaining important guests of the nation and supporting the Government of the day in the...

My Lords, I support the Minister in his aims and am pleased that he set out so well the important work that the Royal Family does on behalf of our country, promoting our diplomatic efforts, entertaining important guests of the nation and supporting the Government of the day in the...

My Lords, I have great respect for the Minister. As a fellow Scot, he will make sure that every bawbee gets value for money. I understand that he will have had a brief from down the Corridor. In fact, having read Commons Hansard, the words were quite familiar. But I...

My Lords, I have great respect for the Minister. As a fellow Scot, he will make sure that every bawbee gets value for money. I understand that he will have had a brief from down the Corridor. In fact, having read Commons Hansard, the words were quite familiar. But I...

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow my noble friend Lord Foulkes of Cumnock. This Bill comes at a time when many households are struggling to make ends meet. Under this Bill, the core funding of the Royal Household—that is, after ignoring the money allocated for refurbishment of...

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow my noble friend Lord Foulkes of Cumnock. This Bill comes at a time when many households are struggling to make ends meet. Under this Bill, the core funding of the Royal Household—that is, after ignoring the money allocated for refurbishment of...

My Lords, it is a real honour to follow my two colleagues who spoke before me and have given so much detailed information about what is wrong with the Crown Estate and the sovereign grant system. I welcome my noble friend the Minister’s clarification of what is in the Bill;...

My Lords, it is a real honour to follow my two colleagues who spoke before me and have given so much detailed information about what is wrong with the Crown Estate and the sovereign grant system. I welcome my noble friend the Minister’s clarification of what is in the Bill;...

My Lords, I will focus on the Bill and not on the broader issues. I also intend to be brief, as my colleagues in the Commons spoke to the issues and we will support the Bill.

First, with 10 Prime Ministers of the UK in a decade and a President in...

My Lords, I will focus on the Bill and not on the broader issues. I also intend to be brief, as my colleagues in the Commons spoke to the issues and we will support the Bill.

First, with 10 Prime Ministers of the UK in a decade and a President in...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for introducing the Bill and the context for its passage so clearly.

The sovereign grant provides the public funding that is necessary to support the monarch in carrying out their official duties and to meet the associated costs of the Royal Household, including...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for introducing the Bill and the context for its passage so clearly.

The sovereign grant provides the public funding that is necessary to support the monarch in carrying out their official duties and to meet the associated costs of the Royal Household, including...

My Lords, this has been an interesting discussion, and rightly so. I will do my best to respond to those parts of the debate where I can. If I fail so to do, please contact me afterwards; a written response might be better.

It is right that we have this discussion...

My Lords, this has been an interesting discussion, and rightly so. I will do my best to respond to those parts of the debate where I can. If I fail so to do, please contact me afterwards; a written response might be better.

It is right that we have this discussion...

There is another quotation from Robert Burns:

“Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie,

O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!”

If each of us were not to stand up and raise questions, we would be accused of being a “Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie”. I hope my noble friend recognises that Members of this...

There is another quotation from Robert Burns:

“Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie,

O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!”

If each of us were not to stand up and raise questions, we would be accused of being a “Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie”. I hope my noble friend recognises that Members of this...

Absolutely, and I was not offering that in any way as a put-down of the debate. Rather, I was thinking of something that I could compare in government expenditure to the sovereign grant,

and I chose House of Lords expenditure. I cannot see how I can compare it to nurses’...

Absolutely, and I was not offering that in any way as a put-down of the debate. Rather, I was thinking of something that I could compare in government expenditure to the sovereign grant,

and I chose House of Lords expenditure. I cannot see how I can compare it to nurses’...

Allocation of time motion. Second reading. Agreed to on question. Bill committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

Allocation of time motion. Second reading. Agreed to on question. Bill committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

Committee stage. Clause 1, debated with clauses 2-4 and agreed to. Bill reported without amendment. Report stage. Agreed to on question. Third reading. Agreed to on question. Bill passed.

Committee stage. Clause 1, debated with clauses 2-4 and agreed to. Bill reported without amendment. Report stage. Agreed to on question. Third reading. Agreed to on question. Bill passed.

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.

The Bill relates to the sovereign grant that Parliament has provided to support the official duties of the monarch and the work of the royal household. The Bill implements the conclusions of the recent royal trustees’ review of...

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.

The Bill relates to the sovereign grant that Parliament has provided to support the official duties of the monarch and the work of the royal household. The Bill implements the conclusions of the recent royal trustees’ review of...

The Minister is setting the scene incredibly well. He is right to underline that the British monarchy has clearly been a source of stability across the world, and to say that its unity remains irreplaceable in a world full of division. We acknowledge the ongoing need to review and adjust...

The Minister is setting the scene incredibly well. He is right to underline that the British monarchy has clearly been a source of stability across the world, and to say that its unity remains irreplaceable in a world full of division. We acknowledge the ongoing need to review and adjust...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his tribute to the monarchy. His description of what he would like to see in the setting of the sovereign grant reflects exactly what has to take place. As I was just explaining, the three trustees are required to take into account the funding...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his tribute to the monarchy. His description of what he would like to see in the setting of the sovereign grant reflects exactly what has to take place. As I was just explaining, the three trustees are required to take into account the funding...

There is what might be an important innovation in the text of this year’s sovereign grant annual report and accounts, which the Bill refers to and which the Minister is describing. Usually, the description of the sovereign’s role includes the term “defender of the faith”, but that term does not...

There is what might be an important innovation in the text of this year’s sovereign grant annual report and accounts, which the Bill refers to and which the Minister is describing. Usually, the description of the sovereign’s role includes the term “defender of the faith”, but that term does not...

The hon. Member has shown interest in this topic over many years, in a lot of different environments. This is a question of “and”, rather than “or”. As he says, the document spells out that His Majesty is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. I encourage him to...

The hon. Member has shown interest in this topic over many years, in a lot of different environments. This is a question of “and”, rather than “or”. As he says, the document spells out that His Majesty is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. I encourage him to...

We are extremely fortunate to have a monarchy, particularly this monarchy. Since the reign of George III, the profits from the Crown Estate have accrued to the Treasury; in return, the institution of the monarchy receives a grant, which we are debating today. Part of that is an annually determined...

We are extremely fortunate to have a monarchy, particularly this monarchy. Since the reign of George III, the profits from the Crown Estate have accrued to the Treasury; in return, the institution of the monarchy receives a grant, which we are debating today. Part of that is an annually determined...

I think everybody in this House will agree with the thrust of what the right hon. Gentleman successfully argues. A royal household with an important role, both as the sovereign, and in maintaining an estate of grade I listed monuments, needs certainty about its income. It is not for me...

I think everybody in this House will agree with the thrust of what the right hon. Gentleman successfully argues. A royal household with an important role, both as the sovereign, and in maintaining an estate of grade I listed monuments, needs certainty about its income. It is not for me...