HL Deb 03 May 2000 vol 612 c180WA
Baroness Strange

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are responsible for the "good government" of the Crown Dependencies; if so, how they define "good government"; and in what circumstances they would intervene to that end in the affairs of the Dependencies. [HL2134]

Lord Bach

The Crown is ultimately responsible for the good government of the Crown Dependencies. This means that, in the circumstances of a grave breakdown or failure in the administration of justice or civil order, the residual prerogative power of the Crown could be used to intervene in the internal affairs of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is unhelpful to the relationship between Her Majesty's Government and the Islands to speculate about the hypothetical and highly unlikely circumstances in which such intervention might take place.