Civil list

A civil list is a list of individuals to whom money is paid by the government.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom the civil list is the payment that is given to immediate members of the royal family so as to perform their state duties and keep the Royal Households. The civil list is not the royals' salary as it is spent on the maintenance of their official offfices and residences and the meeting of expenses associated with the performance of public duties. It is in effect the budget for their private offices, similiar to the parliamentary grant for the running of other government departments and agencies. Private personal expenditure is met from private sources of income. In 2003, the civil list was £9,900,000 (GBP). Although the annuities is paid to members of the Royal Family who perform public duties, the Queen actually pays most of this, since she reimburses HM Treasury the amount paid to all except the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Prince of Wales does not receive civil list money, and their official expenses are funded by income provided for by the Duchy of Cornwall.

The Queen also receives quasi-private income from the Duchy of Lancaster, which is used to meet certain semi-official expenses, such as royal charities, including the Chapel Royal, and to reimburse HM Treasury for the cost of the Civil List annuities to members of the Royal Family except the Duke of Edinburgh. This fund is the Privy Purse.

The civil list is funded in accordance with a 1760 settlement in which the monarch hands over the income from the Crown estates (£170,800,000 in 2003).

Canada

In Canada the civil list was a common term during the pre-confederation period when it caused much controversy. The Canadian civil list referred to the payment for all officials on the government payroll. Great controversy arose as to whether the list would be controlled by the Governor or by the Legislative Assembly. The Assembly demanded control of all money matters, while the Governors worried that if the Assembly was given this power then certain positions would be delisted. Eventually under the Baldwin-Lafontaine government a compromise was reached with Lord Elgin.

The term civil list is no longer commonly used to describe the payment of civil servants in Canada.

External links

• BBC Royal Accounts 2002
• The price of monarchy: two pints of milk (Stephen Bates, Guardian, 25 June 2004)
• Royal financial reports 2003/2004 (royal.gov.uk)