A LABOUR peer has said rules banning the royal family from being scrutinised in the UK Parliament must be changed amid continuing concerns about the activities of Prince Andrew.
George Foulkes said he has been refused permission to table a question proposing a public register of royal interests.
He is seeking a meeting this week with the clerk of the parliaments Simon Burton to discuss what he says is a growing list of concerns about the activities of the royal family.
Calls have been increasing for greater scrutiny of the royal family and their finances after a series of scandals involving Prince Andrew.
New court documents have revealed a "royal family member” was in email contact with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein as late as February 2011.
The royal family member wrote in emails: “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!”
Andrew previously told the BBC that he broke off his friendship with the sex offender in December 2010.
Foulkes said that parliament’s clerks have vetoed every attempt to raise concerns about Andrew and other royals, arguing that Parliament’s standing orders and Erskine May – the authority on parliamentary procedure – prevent discussion of the monarchy and of any matters that reflect on the sovereign or royals.
Foulkes (below) believes the rules need to be altered beyond the current limit of questions about the cost to the taxpayer of royal palaces and events attended by the royals.
“I was particularly concerned about where public money is spent. That’s why the Andrew issue is something that’s interested me particularly.
“There is very great sensitivity in parliament and particularly in the House of Lords, as you would expect, and a lot of deference to the monarch, which is understandable in many ways.
“But I think one of the things is to separate the monarch or head of state from the royal family, the rest of them.
“Where does the royal family stop? All the grandchildren, the cousins, the nieces, the nephews … It’s not defined. The restriction can be used in relation to any of them.
“Do the rules apply to Andrew, who is no longer a working member of the family?”
The information commissioner’s guidelines on exemptions from the Freedom of Information Act, for example, includes a large number of the extended royal family, including Princess Anne’s children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, who have never had a royal title or undertaken official duties.
Andrew was a trade and investment envoy for 10 years until 2011.
When he was appointed to represent Blair’s government in 2001, 65 MPs signed an early day motion – something that is allowed because there is no further discussion in parliament about it – calling for a register of royal interests.
In response at the time, ministers said Andrew would have no opportunity to let his personal interests interfere with his official duties.
