<P> Today, although' red box' has now come to be synonymous with the despatch boxes, other colours are also used, to denote the many different functions of the boxes in Parliament . </P> <P> Black is used for those boxes prepared for government whips and for discretion when boxes are designed for travel . A black box with a red stripe is used specifically for confidential papers only seen by the Prime Minister, his or her Private Secretary, and intelligence officials . This box is known as "Old Stripey" due to the red stripe . Permanent Secretaries, who are civil servants rather than MPs or Lords, have similar boxes but coloured green . These have exactly the same function as the ministerial red boxes . Barrow Hepburn and Gale have also made available despatch boxes in green for members of parliament . </P> <P> These boxes were used by the ministers on a daily basis while in government and thus become an important memory of their time in office, with many opting to buy and keep their red boxes . Many boxes owned and used by famous political figures from British history have been sold at auction . These boxes represent some of the most important possessions of former prime ministers . Margaret Thatcher's ministerial dispatch box was sold at auction by Christie's in 2015 for £ 242,500 . Winston Churchill's red box was sold by Sotheby's in 2014 for £ 158,500, 25 times the estimated price . Red boxes are often gifted to outgoing President of the United States as an important symbol and reminder of their time with the UK government . George Bush received one such box from Tony Blair . </P> <P> Lee Kuan Yew the late Prime Minister of Singapore (1959 - 1990) was fond of the red box he used during his time in government . His education Minister Heng Swee Keat, claimed that Lee continued using the red box until the day of his final hospitalisation . </P>

What are the books on the table in the house of representatives