L385,000, and the pension list was
separated from the ordinary civil list. The civil list proper was
divided into the following five classes, with a fixed sum appropriated
to each:--
Privy purse L60,000
Salaries of household 131,260
Expenses of household 172,500
Royal bounty, &c. 13,200
Unappropriated 8,040
In addition the queen might, on the advice of her ministers, grant
pensions up to L1200 per annum, in accordance with a resolution of the
House of Commons of February 18th, 1834, "to such persons as have just
claims on the royal beneficence or who, by their personal services to
the crown, by the performance of duties to the public, or by their
useful discoveries in science and attainments in literature and art,
have merited the gracious consideration of the sovereign and the
gratitude of their country." The service of these pensions increased the
annual sum devoted to support the dignity of the crown and the expenses
of the household to about L409,000. The list of pensions must be laid
before parliament within thirty days of 20th June. Thus the civil list
was reduced in amount, and relieved from the very charges which gave it
its name as distinct from the statement of military and naval charges.
It now really only dealt with the support of the dignity and honour of
the crown and the royal household. The arrangement was most successful,
and during the last three reigns there was no application to parliament
for the discharge of debts incurred on the civil list.
Civil List Act 1901.
The death of Queen Victoria rendered it necessary that a renewed
provision should be made for the civil list; and King Edward VII.,
following former precedents, placed unreservedly at the disposal of
parliament his hereditary revenues. A select committee of the House of
Commons was appointed to consider the provisions of the civil list for
the crown, and to report also on the question of grants for the
honourable support and maintenance of Her Majesty the Queen and the
members of the royal family. The committee in their conclusions were
guided to a considerable extent by the actual civil list expenditure
during the last ten years of the last reign, and made certain
recommendations which, without undue interference with the sovereign's
personal arrangements, tended towards increased efficiency and economy
in the support of the sovereign's household and the honour and dignity
of
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