Issues related with central goverment - Monarchy (part three)

(c) List five local contacts you would approach for quotes to give this a local angle and give reasons for your choices.

Local resident: to find out what his/her opinion about the constitutional monarchy in this country in general.

Leader of the local council: to find out what view he/she holds, in favour of the monarchy or oppose the monarchy.

Another senior councillor: if the 1st councillor was in favour of the monarchy I will try to find one who held an opposing view, not necessarily against the monarchy as such, but sceptical about its role in a democracy and its cost. And vice versa.

Local taxpayers' group: to find out if they think the monarchy is good value for money.

Professor/senior lecturer from a local university or college: to ask about the technicalities of the monarchy and whether a republic would be any cheaper.

Issues related with central goverment - Monarchy (part two)

(b) The monarch's sources of income include:

Civil List:

A sum of money voted for annually by Parliament to pay for the Queen's duties as Head of State and head of the Commonwealth and for the royal household.

This income in not taxable. Other members of the Royal family are included on the Civil list, although Prince Charles gets all of his income from the revenues of the Duchy of Cornwall (famous for its biscuits etc sold under the brand Duchy Originals). He voluntarily pays tax on this.

The Queen, since April 1993, has refunded part of the Civil List money to parliament, using her personal pot of money, the Privy Purse, which will be discussed later.

In broad terms, the Civil List funds the following expenses for both the reigning monarch and his or her spouse:

around 70 per cent pays the salaries of the 645 servants, butlers, and other employees of the Royal Household;

most of the remaining 30 per cent covers the costs of royal garden parties (attended by some 48,000 people each year) and hospitality during state visits.

Grants-in-aid:

Money granted by Parliament to pay for the upkeep of the inhabited royal palaces owned by the state, such as Windsor Castle, and transport for official duties.

The cash comes respectively from the budgets of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department of Transport, and is not taxable (DfT).

For example, the DCMS pay £15.3m a year (fixed until at least 2011), the DFT paid £6.2m in 2007 – 2008.

Privy Purse:

The income of the Duchy of Lancaster, used mainly to fund other members of the Royal Family. Some of the money is handed over by the Queen to reimburse some of their civil list payments. It is taxable, after some deductions for official purposes.

Personal Income:

The Queen's private resources for non-official activities. Legally untaxable, but the Queen now voluntarily pays some income tax, at a rate privately agreed with the Treasury.

Issues related with central goverment - Monarchy (part one)

An Outspoken local MP has voiced the opinion that the monarchy has no place in a modern democratic society. Your editor has asked you to research the role played by the monarchy for a piece in next week's paper.

(a) Describe the role played by the monarchy and explain how it is funded.

The UK is a constitutional monarchy, which means that its head of state is a king or queen whose power is defined and limited by the constitution, in contrast to “absolute monarchies (as this country once was).

By the beginning of the 20th century, real political power had been transferred to Parliament through the development of the ministerial system.

But the monarch still plays a number of important roles in the governing of the UK, although most of the Royal Prerogative powers are now exercised by others in the name of the sovereign.

The government, although elected by the people, is still known as Her Majesty's Government (HMG) and we still get official notifications from the state OHMS (On Her Majesty' Service).

The role of the monarchy:

The queen is said to “personify the nation”, standing above party politics as Head of State, but is not head of government, a role in the UK by the prime minister. She represents the “unity and standards of the nation” (as opposed to the state).

By law, the monarch is:

Part of the legislature;

Head of the executive;

Head of the judiciary;

Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces;

Supreme Governor of the Church of England, the established church;

Head of the Commonwealth (and head of state of 15 of its 53 members);

he authority from which the Royal Mint derives its licence to coin and print money
(at present, in his or her image).

The roles and the power that go with them are derived from the Royal Prerogative.

In an age when government holds sway over most key political decisions, the prerogative powers that monarchs personally still exercise are through the following roles and duties:

Reading Queen's Speech at the annual State Opening of Parliament or shortly after a general election;

Governing the Church of England;

'Creating' peers, and conferring knighthoods and honours in person;

Meeting the prime minister once a week usually on Tuesday to discuss Cabinet business and to offer advice on affairs of state;

Entertaining visiting foreign heads of state at Buckingham Palace;

Visiting other nations on official state visits – including those of the Commonwealth – as Britain's premier overseas ambassador;

Chairing meeting of the Privy Council;

Attending the 'Trooping the Colour'

A series of the prerogative powers held by the queen, but normally exercised by others, or by her 'on the advice of her ministers (all government ministers, including the Prime Minister, are Minister of the Crown)'.

It means in most case it is ministers and the prime ministers to take the necessary decision. The powers include:

Dissolving and summoning Parliament, that is, calling election and forming new parliaments after the results are in;

Giving the Royal Assent to Bills passed by Parliament;

Appointing ministers and other senior public officials, including judges, diplomats, governors, officers in the armed forces, police chief constables, and Church of England bishops and archbishops;

Devising the legislative agenda for each parliamentary session (year of Parliament) and writing the Queen's Speech, which will make these proposals public at the State Opening of Parliament;

Declaring war and peace;

The prorogation of Parliament, that is, the suspending of the activities of Parliament (if not Parliament itself) for the duration of holiday periods, such as the Summer Recess, and the annual Christmas and Easter breaks;

Drawing up lists of nominations, in consultation with the leaders of opposition parties, for peerage, knighthoods, and other honour in the New Year Honours List and the Queen's Birthday Honour List;

Issuing 'Royal Pardon';

Raising taxes;

Making treaties;

Dealing with emergencies;