Editing Privy Council (United Kingdom) (section)

=== Rights and privileges ===

The Privy Council as a whole is termed "[[The Most Honourable]]" whilst its members individually, the Privy Counsellors, are entitled to be [[Style (manner of address)|styled]] "[[The Right Honourable]]".<ref>{{cite web |title=Privy Council members |url=http://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/privy-council/privy-council-members/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141206223159/http://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/privy-council/privy-council-members/ |archive-date=6 December 2014 |access-date=15 June 2015 |website=Privy Council Office}}</ref> Nonetheless, some nobles automatically have higher styles: [[Duke|non-royal Dukes]] are styled "His Grace" and "The Most Noble", and Marquesses as "[[The Most Honourable]]". Modern custom as recommended by ''[[Debrett's]]'' is to use the post-nominal letters "PC" in a social style of address for [[peerage|peers]] who are Privy Counsellors.<ref name="DebrettPC">{{cite web |title=Privy Counsellors and Crown Appointments |url=http://www.debretts.com/forms-address/hierarchies/letters-after-name/privy-counsellors-and-crown-appointments |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528100708/http://www.debretts.com/forms-address/hierarchies/letters-after-name/privy-counsellors-and-crown-appointments |archive-date=28 May 2016 |access-date=15 June 2015 |website=Debrett's |df=dmy-all}}</ref> For [[commoner]]s, "The Right Honourable" is sufficient identification of their status as a Privy Counsellor and they do not use the post-nominal letters "PC".<ref name="nz-pc" /><ref name="DebrettPC" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Letters after the name |url=https://www.debretts.com/expertise/forms-of-address/letters-after-the-name/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010110603/https://www.debretts.com/expertise/forms-of-address/letters-after-the-name/ |archive-date=10 October 2017 |access-date=13 September 2017 |website=Debrett's |quote=In a social style of address for a peer who is a privy counsellor it is advisable that the letters PC should follow the name. For all other members of the Privy Council the prefix ‘Rt Hon’ before the name is sufficient identification.}}</ref> The [[Ministry of Justice]] revises the practice of this convention from time to time.<ref>{{cite web |year=2008 |title=Peers |url=http://www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/foa-peers.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827182243/http://www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/foa-peers.htm <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=27 August 2008 |access-date=11 September 2008 |work=Forms of address |publisher=Ministry of Justice}}</ref>

Each Privy Counsellor has the right of personal access to the sovereign. Peers were considered to enjoy this right individually; members of the House of Commons possess the right collectively. In each case, personal access may only be used to tender advice on [[public policy|public affairs]].<ref name="cox-25">N.&nbsp;Cox, ''Peerage Privileges'', pp. 25–6.</ref>

Only Privy Counsellors can signify Royal Consent to the examination of a [[Bill (law)|Bill]] affecting the rights of the Crown.<ref>Hayter, Sect.&nbsp;7.177.</ref>

Privy Counsellors have the right to sit on the steps of the Sovereign's Throne in the Chamber of the House of Lords during debates, a privilege which was shared with [[heirs apparent]] of those [[hereditary peer]]s who were to become members of the [[House of Lords]] before Labour's partial [[House of Lords Act 1999|Reform of the Lords]] in 1999, diocesan bishops of the [[Church of England]] yet to be [[Lords Spiritual]], retired  bishops who formerly sat in the House of Lords, the [[Dean of Westminster]], [[Peerage of Ireland|Peers of Ireland]], the [[Clerk of the Crown in Chancery]], and the [[Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod]].<ref>Hayter, Sect.&nbsp;1.37.</ref> While Privy Counsellors have the right to sit on the steps of the Sovereign's Throne they do so only as observers and are not allowed to participate in any of the workings of the House of Lords. Nowadays this privilege is rarely exercised. A notable recent instance of the exercising of this privilege was used by the Prime Minister, [[Theresa May]], and [[David Lidington]], who watched the opening of the debate of the [[European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill 2017]] in the House of Lords.<ref>{{cite web |date=20 February 2017 |title=Respect Brexit decision, peers urged |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39020260 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220041140/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39020260 |archive-date=20 February 2017 |access-date=20 February 2017 |publisher=BBC}}</ref>

Privy Counsellors are accorded a formal rank of [[order of precedence in England and Wales|precedence]], if not already having a higher one.<ref>Blackstone, I. 318.</ref> At the beginning of each new Parliament, and at the discretion of the [[Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)|Speaker]], those members of the House of Commons who are Privy Counsellors usually take the oath of allegiance before all other members except the Speaker and the [[Father of the House (United Kingdom)|Father of the House]] (who is the member of the House who has the longest continuous service).<ref>{{cite web |author1=Walker, A |author2=Wood, E |date=14 February 2000 |title=The Parliamentary Oath |url=http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2000/rp00-017.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000824155716/http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2000/rp00-017.pdf |archive-date=24 August 2000 |access-date=8 September 2008 |work=Research Paper 00/17 |publisher=House of Commons Library}}</ref> Should a Privy Counsellor rise to speak in the House of Commons at the same time as another [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Honourable Member]], the Speaker usually gives priority to the "Right Honourable" Member.<ref>{{cite news |date=19 May 1998 |title=Privy Council |publisher=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/a-z_of_parliament/p-q/82534.stm |url-status=live |access-date=29 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040706045336/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/a-z_of_parliament/p-q/82534.stm |archive-date=6 July 2004}}</ref> This parliamentary custom, however, was discouraged under [[New Labour]] after 1998, despite the government not being supposed to exert influence over the Speaker.<ref>{{cite web |date=4 March 1998 |title=Modernisation of the House of CommonsFourth Report: Precedence for Privy Counsellors |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmselect/cmmodern/600iv/md0404.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305050954/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmselect/cmmodern/600iv/md0404.htm |archive-date=5 March 2009 |access-date=8 September 2008 |publisher=Modernisation of the House of Commons Select Committee}}</ref>