The Lib Dems plan to use scheduled debating time allocated to the party on Tuesday to force a Commons vote on a so-called humble address that would compel ministers to release information on Andrew’s appointment.

This type of motion is generally seen as binding and was successfully used by the Conservatives earlier this month to force the government into releasing material related to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador in late 2024.

Criticism of members of the Royal Family is only allowed in Parliament in specific circumstances – but because Andrew is no longer an active member of the family, comments on his actions are likely to be allowed.

MPs are likely to be reminded not to say anything which could prejudice the ongoing police case.

The text of the Lib Dem motion, external, which is expected to be debated on Tuesday afternoon, requests “all papers relating to the creation of the role of Special Representative for Trade and Investment and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s appointment to that role”.

The motion also requests “minutes of meetings and electronic communications regarding the due diligence and vetting”.

The party also wants to see any correspondence from Lord Mandelson relating to the appointment, following reports that the former minister pushed for him to be appointed when concerns were raised over his suitability at the time.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said “the public is rightly demanding to know” how Andrew was appointed to the role.

“There’s also a much broader principle at stake here. No one, regardless of their title or their friends, should be beyond the scrutiny of Parliament,” he added.

Sir Ed told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The rules of the House of Commons have prevented… MPs from criticising members of the Royal Family and sometimes even mentioning them and that really seems old-fashioned.”

In 2011, when he was a business minister, Sir Ed said Andrew was doing an “excellent job” as trade envoy and dismissed concerns around him at the time as “innuendo”.

Asked about his defence of Andrew during the parliamentary debate, he said: “First of all can I apologise to all those victims of Epstein who may have read those words and been upset by them. I really regret them.”

Sir Ed said he “wasn’t really over the brief” and added “no MP mentioned Epstein in that debate and I think that tells a tale about how Parliament and MPs don’t hold the Royal Family, didn’t hold [the former] Prince Andrew in that really privileged position, properly to account”.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the government was “not against” publishing material that is of interest to the public.

“The balance that we have to strike however is, given that there is an ongoing police investigation, we wouldn’t want to jeopardise their work and we do have to tread with care here,” she told the Today programme.