BBC PARLIAMENT - HOUSE OF LORDS - VERBATIM TRANSCRIPT

(INTRODUCTION OF SCENE BY LADY PRESENTER)

“Finally, a Constitutional History lesson - Under the British system of government, Ministers can sometimes set up Royal Commissions - to look into complicated areas of policy - they are in effect major Government Public Enquiries, staffed by the Great and Good. Well, in the Lords, one Peer wanted to know why there have been so few Royal Commissions in the last decade.”

LORD SHELDON Labour

“In the post war years up to 1980 there were 9 Royal Commissions in every decade. In the 1980’s there were none. Since then there have been 3. As Royal Commissions are a very thorough way of examining major areas of public concern, should we not return to maybe making use of them once more? There was a Seminar - a particular Royal Commission on the taxation of profits and income in 1951. In view of the current complications of the tax system, should we not now consider a similar Royal Commission?”

LORD CHANCELLOR

“Umm, I was aware of the broad, er, statistics in relation to Royal Commissions and the Noble Lord is right that that whilst they were used a lot immediately post war, they weren’t used hardly at all between 1979 and 1997 and they’ve been used twice since 1997. Some things are very, very suitable for a Royal Commission, for example, looking at some of the things they’ve been used for, Spontaneous Combustion in Ships in 1875 (Here spontaneous laughter breaks out) or in 1884 Housing of the Working Classes on which the Prince of Wales was a Commissioner, the Royal Commission on Royal Commissions seems sensible (Here louder laughter than before breaks out) but I’m afraid I don’t agree that a Royal Commission on the tax system is a good idea” (end of current broadcasting session)

(At this end of the very short video clip, lasting just under 2 minutes, the face of the serious questioner, Lord Sheldon, could not be seen, therefore I am unable to comment as to whether the Noble lord appeared to be embarrassed or otherwise, by the Lord Chancellor’s apparently mocking reply - as he basked in the glow, delight and pleasure at the response of at least some Noble personages assembled in this hallowed Upper Chamber of Westminster.)