Can anyone give me some sources for a red box as used by ministers in
the UK Government?  They are wooden boxes covered in red-leather with
a handle.  There are some photos from "Yes, Minister" at
http://www.yes-minister.com/images/ym17_all2.jpg and
http://www.yes-minister.com/images/ym31_jim2.jpg

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Request for Question Clarification by politicalguru-ga on 25 Apr 2003 03:17 PDT

Are you looking for a place to get one, as the second comment
suggests, or are you looking for a source of this term and
"tradition"?

This extract from "Hansard" (1995) implies that the red boxes are or
were made by prisoners:

"There are pilot studies that are trying to get better work regimes so
that prisoners do better things than make mail bags and ministerial
boxes--which fall apart far too easily--at great cost."

http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199596/cmhansrd/vo951208/debtext/51208-04.htm

As I work for the UK Government I think you would do very well if you
could find a genuine Red Box as they are a bit like gold-dust over
here. Your best bet may be to try looking for the 'Yes Minister'
props, perhaps at internet auction sites or through the BBC at
www.bbc.co.uk