Asked by: Viscount Stansgate (Labour - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to amend the Counsellors of State Act 2022.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Counsellors of State Act 2022 added two additional Members of the Royal Family to the list of those eligible to act as Counsellors of State in order to provide greater resilience in this aspect of our constitutional arrangements.
In practice, reflecting a commitment made during the passage of the Act, only working Members of the Royal Family are called upon to act as Counsellors of State.
The Government has no plans to amend the Counsellors of State Act 2022.
Asked by: Viscount Stansgate (Labour - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to amend the Titles Deprivation Act 1917.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Titles Deprivation Act 1917 authorised enemies of the United Kingdom to be deprived of their peerages during the First World War.
The Government has no plans to amend the Titles Deprivation Act 1917.
Asked by: Viscount Stansgate (Labour - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to bring legislation before Parliament to give effect to the decision of the King to remove all titles from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Following the statement made by Buckingham Palace on 30 October, the entitlement to the title of ‘Prince’ and the style of ‘Royal Highness’ has been removed by Letters Patent. The title of the Duke of York has been removed from the Roll of the Peerage and will no longer be used officially. There is therefore no need for legislation to implement the measures that have been announced.
Asked by: Viscount Stansgate (Labour - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish an updated edition of the Cabinet Manual.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As stated in the answer given on 24 February 2025 (HL4720), the Government takes the function of the Cabinet Manual seriously and we will keep it under review:
HL4720
Q: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish an updated edition of the Cabinet Manual.
A: The Government takes the function of the Cabinet Manual seriously and we will keep it under review.
Asked by: Viscount Stansgate (Labour - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to remove the restriction that renders Roman Catholics ineligible for consideration as a Counsellor of State.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are no plans to make any changes to the eligibility criteria for Counsellors of State.
Asked by: Viscount Stansgate (Labour - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish an updated edition of the Cabinet Manual.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government takes the function of the Cabinet Manual seriously and we will keep it under review.
Asked by: Viscount Stansgate (Labour - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish an updated edition of the Cabinet Manual.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is aware of the function of the Cabinet Manual and we will keep this under review.
Asked by: Viscount Stansgate (Labour - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend the Regency Act 1937.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Government has no plans to amend the Regency Act.
Asked by: Viscount Stansgate (Labour - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which, if any, prerogative powers have been removed using statute law; and on what occasions.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Royal Prerogative is the residual power inherent in the Sovereign, and which is now exercised mostly on the advice of Ministers. It may be divided into the following broad categories: constitutional or personal prerogatives and prerogative executive powers.
The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill, which is currently going through your Lordship’s House, will make the Royal Prerogative powers relating to the dissolution of Parliament and the calling of a new Parliament exercisable again, as if the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 had never been enacted. We have a sound legal basis for the position that prerogative powers can be revived, and there is no doubt on this question if this is made clear in statute. Clause 2 of the Bill makes the necessary express provision accordingly.
Parliament can and has legislated to modify, abolish, or supersede Royal Prerogative powers. It is rare that statutes abolish Royal Prerogative powers explicitly. It is, therefore, a matter of legal judgement whether a prerogative is abridged by implication.
Asked by: Viscount Stansgate (Labour - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which, if any, prerogative powers have been restored using statute law; and on what occasions.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Royal Prerogative is the residual power inherent in the Sovereign, and which is now exercised mostly on the advice of Ministers. It may be divided into the following broad categories: constitutional or personal prerogatives and prerogative executive powers.
The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill, which is currently going through your Lordship’s House, will make the Royal Prerogative powers relating to the dissolution of Parliament and the calling of a new Parliament exercisable again, as if the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 had never been enacted. We have a sound legal basis for the position that prerogative powers can be revived, and there is no doubt on this question if this is made clear in statute. Clause 2 of the Bill makes the necessary express provision accordingly.
Parliament can and has legislated to modify, abolish, or supersede Royal Prerogative powers. It is rare that statutes abolish Royal Prerogative powers explicitly. It is, therefore, a matter of legal judgement whether a prerogative is abridged by implication.