Downing Street has appeared to dismiss the idea of MPs being given time for a Commons debate on Prince Andrew, with the prime minister’s spokesperson saying that the royal family “would not want to take time” from other parliamentary business.
Pressure has been mounting on the King’s brother over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and his rent-free mansion in Windsor.
On Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer said he would support “proper scrutiny” of the Crown Estate arrangements, but on Thursday Downing Street suggested that the government is not planning on making time for MPs to debate the matter.
Asked if the government would be making time, a No 10 spokesperson said: “Prince Andrew has already confirmed he will not use his titles. We support the decision made by the royal family, and we know the royal family would not want to take time from other important issues.”
Meanwhile, a committee of MPs will be “seeking more information” on the prince’s lease arrangements for the Royal Lodge property.
Chair of the public accounts committee Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said on Thursday that he will be writing to the crown estate commissioners and the Treasury in the coming days.
Sir Geoffrey added: “In the correspondence, our cross-party committee will be raising a number of questions with the crown estate and HM Treasury. This forms part of our long-standing remit, on behalf of parliament and the British public, to examine the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of public spending, and ensure the taxpayer is receiving best value for money.”
Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said on Thursday that “there are ways for the House to properly consider the matter”.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey asked earlier this week whether “given the revelations about Royal Lodge” the prime minister believed that MPs should “properly scrutinise the Crown Estate to ensure taxpayers’ interests are protected”.
Andrew has lived in Royal Lodge in Windsor on a peppercorn rent since 2003, although he paid £1m for the lease and a further £7.5m for refurbishments.
Meanwhile, 26 MPs have signed an early day motion calling for the government to “take legislative steps to remove the dukedom granted to Prince Andrew”.
Addressing MPs on Thursday, Sir Lindsay said: “I know there has been some commentary on what members of this House may or may not discuss in the chamber in relation to Prince Andrew, some of which is inaccurate.
“There is understandably great interest from members, and from the public, on this matter. For the benefit of the House, I would like to be clear that there are ways for the House to properly consider this matter.
“Any discussions about the conduct or reflections on members of the royal family can be properly discussed on the substantive motions. And I know some members have already tabled such a motion. I am not able to allocate time for a debate on such a motion, but others are able to do so, if wishing to do that.”
Substantive motions can be tabled by the government, by opposition parties in opposition day debates, and by backbenchers through an application to the backbench business committee.
It comes as the prince’s relationship with the disgraced financier Epstein has come under fresh pressure following the release of the posthumous memoir of Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide earlier this year. The memoir contains further details around Giuffre’s allegations that the prince had sex with her a number of times after she was trafficked by Epstein and his partner Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence on sex-trafficking charges.
Andrew has denied allegations that Giuffre was forced to have sex with him.
Andrew announced last Friday that he would stop using his Duke of York title, but an act of parliament would be required to remove it formally.
