28/06/2006

Royals cost £37 million per year

The cost of keeping the monarchy in the UK cost the taxpayer £37.4 million last year, the Queen's financial public accounts have revealed.

The cost, which is equivalent to 62p for each individual taxpayer, increased by 4.2% from the previous year.

The rise was partly attributed to the cost of extra security vetting at Buckingham Palace, after a journalist was able to obtain a job as a footman at the palace.

The rise was also attributed to freedom of information inquiries and the cost of a number of long-haul overseas visits by members of the Royal Family.

The Keeper of the Privy Purse, Alex Reid, warned that more money was needed in order to maintain the royal palaces.

The household receives £15 million per year from public funds to run the palaces. However, the figure was set in 1998 and is only reviewed every three years.

Senior officials confirmed that they would be requesting £1 million more, plus inflation.

The mausoleum at Windsor is believed to be the site most in need of restoration, at a cost of £2 million, while other work includes the clearing of asbestos from a two-acre lead roof at Windsor Castle, clearing the quadrangle at Buckingham Palace and replacing the Picture Gallery roof.

Mr Reid insisted that the Royal Family provided good value for money. He said: "Given this is a World Cup year, 62p would buy you a ticket for one minute of England's game against Portugal on Saturday."

(KMcA/SP)

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