The BBC comedy Yes Minister follows a government minister, Jim Hacker, and the civil servants who manage him. One often-quoted line explains two official phrases: “‘Under consideration’ means we’ve lost the file. ‘Under active consideration’ means we’re trying to find it.”
Sources differ on where the line comes from. A transcript places it in the episode “The Official Visit.” A newspaper attributes it to Bernard, the minister’s private secretary, explaining the phrases to Hacker.