Civil List Act 1837
Encyclopedia
The Civil List Act 1837 was an Act of Parliament
in the United Kingdom
, signed into law on 23 December 1837.
It reiterated the principles of the civil list
system, stating that the newly-accessioned Queen Victoria undertook to transfer all hereditary revenues of the Crown to the Treasury during her reign, and that all existing Acts to this end were to remain in force. The sum of £385,000 was to be payable annually out of the Consolidated Fund
for the upkeep of the royal household, applied as laid down in a schedule, and the sum of £200,000 granted for this purpose during the previous session was to be considered part of the first payment.
An additional £1,200 per annum was granted to defray the cost of civil list pensions. This was given on the condition that any new pensions granted would be given only to those who had "just claims on the royal benefice" or those who had gained the gratitude of the sovereign and the country for personal services to the Crown, or for public duties, or for services to the arts, science or literature. A list of all pensions was to be laid before Parliament. The hereditary duties on beer, ale and cider were to be remitted during the Queen's lifetime, and any powers exercised by the Crown relating to the small branches of hereditary revenue were unaffected.
Finally, the Act granted £10,000 for home secret service.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, signed into law on 23 December 1837.
It reiterated the principles of the civil list
Civil list
-United Kingdom:In the United Kingdom, the Civil List is the name given to the annual grant that covers some expenses associated with the Sovereign performing their official duties, including those for staff salaries, State Visits, public engagements, ceremonial functions and the upkeep of the...
system, stating that the newly-accessioned Queen Victoria undertook to transfer all hereditary revenues of the Crown to the Treasury during her reign, and that all existing Acts to this end were to remain in force. The sum of £385,000 was to be payable annually out of the Consolidated Fund
Consolidated Fund
Consolidated Fund or the Consolidated Revenue Fund is the term used for the main bank account of the government in many of the countries in the Commonwealth of Nations.-Establishment:...
for the upkeep of the royal household, applied as laid down in a schedule, and the sum of £200,000 granted for this purpose during the previous session was to be considered part of the first payment.
An additional £1,200 per annum was granted to defray the cost of civil list pensions. This was given on the condition that any new pensions granted would be given only to those who had "just claims on the royal benefice" or those who had gained the gratitude of the sovereign and the country for personal services to the Crown, or for public duties, or for services to the arts, science or literature. A list of all pensions was to be laid before Parliament. The hereditary duties on beer, ale and cider were to be remitted during the Queen's lifetime, and any powers exercised by the Crown relating to the small branches of hereditary revenue were unaffected.
Finally, the Act granted £10,000 for home secret service.
| Schedule | ||
| First class | for the Queen's privy purse | £60,000 |
| Second class | salaries of the Queen's household and retired allowances | £131,260 |
| Third class | expenses of the Queen's household | £172,500 |
| Fourth class | royal bounty, alms, and special services | £13,200 |
| Fifth class | pensions | £—— |
| Sixth class | unappropriated monies | £8,040 |
| Total | £385,000 | |
| Note that the £1,200 paid for pensions was an additional payment, and not part of the £385,000 total | ||