Dispatch box
A dispatch box (alternate spelling: despatch box ) is a chest used by members of the UK government to carry official documents.
Dispatch boxes in the UK government
In the UK , the chests, which resemble that of a briefcase, are traditionally red and bear the sovereign's monogram. The chests are used by ministers of the UK government to transport, exchange or present documents to the sovereign for review. They are therefore to be seen as a kind of status symbol and official insignia. In a 2005 interview, then Prime Minister Tony Blair revealed that most ministers are now carrying laptops in their chests instead of paper documents.
Parliamentary dispatch boxes
The parliaments of the United Kingdom and Australia also have two wooden dispatch boxes that serve as lecterns. One chest is intended for the government and the other for the opposition. The Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition sit in close proximity to their respective chest. During their speeches, ministers and shadow ministers address parliament from the dispatch boxes.
The chests also contain Bibles and other scriptures that are used in the swearing-in of new MPs. In English usage one often speaks of the performance at the dispatch box of an MP. This means his ability to speak in front of parliament and in particular to represent the party line.
Australian Parliament
The dispatch boxes in the Australian Parliament were a gift from King George V on the occasion of the opening of the Old Parliament House in Canberra on May 9, 1927. They were made from rosewood and adorned with enamel and silver decorations. The inside of the lid of each chest bears an inscription signed by King George.
The Senate has two lecterns that serve a similar purpose.
UK Parliament
The dispatch boxes of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom were a gift from New Zealand on the occasion of the rebuilding of the House of Parliament after the Second World War. The most famous dispatch box, which primarily serves the Prime Minister as well as the leader of the opposition, was originally designed to be the length of a sword in order to prevent the two opponents from attacking each other. The chests were modeled on the Australian dispatch boxes.
The government side chest contains a number of scriptures from various religions. This includes a Bible and a Koran . The opposition side's chest contains a burned Bible that was damaged by a German aerial bomb during the Second World War when the House of Commons was destroyed. This very Bible was on the table in the middle of the room at the time of the bombing and could be recovered largely intact.
The government side's chest is reported to have recently suffered serious (and potentially irreparable) damage from a habit of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown (2007-2010). Brown's habit of pushing papers through with a felt-tip pen is believed to have resulted in black pen marks on the surface of the chest.