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Consents not required

30.82Consent has not been required for a bill which expressly binds the Crown, if it affects only the Queen's servants, such as Ministers or people working for government departments, or property belonging to them as her servants, such as the property of a government department;1 though, as explained above, consent is required for a bill which affects the Royal Household. Nor has consent been required for a bill which binds the Crown, but where nothing in it affects Her Majesty in her private capacity, or Crown (or Duchy) land.2

The Queen's consent was not required for the abolition of the common law offences of sedition and seditious libel, the purpose of which was to protect the authority of the Crown;3 the removal of clergy disqualification from membership of the House of Commons4 or the abolition of the common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel,5 both of which could be seen as affecting the Queen's position as Supreme Governor of the Church of England; the replacement of the oath of allegiance to the Queen with a citizenship pledge;6 nor a change in the promise to serve the Queen in the form of attestation for constables.7

Footnotes

  1. 1. For example, Education and Adoption Bill (2015–16).
  2. 2. Flood and Water Management Bill (2009–10).
  3. 3. Coroners and Justice Bill (2008–09).
  4. 4. House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualification) Bill (2000–01).
  5. 5. Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill (2007–08).
  6. 6. Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill (2001–02).
  7. 7. Police (Northern Ireland) Bill (1997–98); Police Reform Bill [Lords] (2001–02).