HC Deb 21 July 1976 vol 915 cc481-4W
Mr. Steen

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the fee payable per quarter on the purchase of venison from the Royal Parks;

(2) on how many occasions payment has been received from Government personnel in the last two financial years for enjoying quarters of venison from the Royal parks;

(3) if he will publish in the Official Report the names of those to whom venison is distributed from the Royal parks.

(4) what is the cost of maintaining the deer in the New Forest, Windsor Great Park and Richmond Park; and how much income was received during 1973–74 and 1974–75 from the sale of such venison to purchasers;

(5) what is the cost of delivering venison from the Royal parks to the Prime Minister;

(6) if he will list in the Official Report the names of all those who avail themselves of the opportunity to enjoy venison from the Royal parks, stating the dates on which venison was distributed to them; how much income was received; and how much was paid for each delivery;

(7) what is the cost of delivering venison from the Royal parks to the Ministers of State;

(8) how much venison the Government Whips have purchased in each of the last two years.

Mr. John Silkin

There is below a list of those to whom a quarter of venison is offered twice a year under the Royal Warrant. The list may vary slightly from year to year with changes in ministerial posts. Most of those on the list, including the five Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, have taken up some of the invitations.

Quarters of buck are allocated in the autumn and quarters of doe in the winter. A standard charge of £2 is made for each quarter. The surplus venison is sold by contract.

The receipts from venison for 1973–74 and 1974–75 were £3,665 and £4,606 respectively. A few of the consignments are sent by British Rail but most quarters are delivered by official vans in the course of their other duties.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is responsible for deer in Richmond Park, Hampton Court Park, Bushy Park and Greenwich Park only. The cost of maintaining them is not separately available. To provide further information would take up a disproportionate amount of official time.

For the Service of the Royal Table 4
The Grand Falconer of England 1
The Lord Chamberlain 1
The Master of the Horse 1
The Archbishop of Canterbury 1
The Archbishop of York 1
The Bishop of London 1
The Speaker of the House of Commons 1
The Lord Chief Justice 1
The Master of the Rolls 1
The Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury 1
The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons 1
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 1
The Lord Chancellor 1
The Secretary of State for the Home Department 1
The Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
The Secretary of State for the Environment 1
The Secretary of State for Employment 1
The Secretary of State for Energy 1
The Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection 1
The Secretary of State for Social Services 1
The Secretary of State for Industry 1
The Secretary of State for Trade and President of the Board of Trade 1
The Secretary of State for Defence 1

The Secretary of State for Education and Science 1
The Secretary of State for Scotland 1
The Secretary of Slate for Wales 1
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 1
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1
The lord Privy Seal 1
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury 1
The Minister for Planning and Local Government 1
The Minister of Overseas Development 1
The Paymaster General 1
The Bailiff of the Royal Parks 1
The Permanent Under Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Head of the Diplomatic Service 1
The Permanent Under Secretary of State, Home Office 1
The Permanent Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence 1
The Chairman of the Board of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise 1
The Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue 1
The Mayor of Kingston-upon-Thames 1
The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 1
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury 1
The Financial Secretary to the Treasury 1
The Minister for Transport 1
The Minister for Housing and Construction 1
The Minister of State, Department of Energy 1
The Minister of State for Defence 1
The Minister of State, Civil Service Department 1
The Ministers of State, Home Office 2
The Minister of State, Department of the Environment 1
The Minister of State, Department of Employment 1
The Minister of State, Department of Prices and Consumer Protection 1
The Ministers of State, Department of Health and Social Security 2
The Ministers of State, Department of Industry 2
The Minister of State, Department of Education and Science 1
The Ministers of State, Scottish Office 2
The Ministers of State, Northern Ireland Office 2
The Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1
The Minister of State, Treasury 1
The Minister of State, Privy Council Office 1
The Attorney General 1
The Lord Advocate 1
The Solicitor General 1
The Solicitor General for Scotland 1
The Head of the Home Civil Service and Permanent Secretary to the Civil Service Department 1
The Permanent Secretary to the Treasury 1

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1
The Permanent Secretary, Department of the Environment 1
The Second Permanent Secretaries, Department of the Environment 2
The Chief Executive, Property Services Agency, Department of the Environment 1
The Comptroller and Auditor General 1
The Lord Mayor of London 1
The Governor of the Bank of England 1
The Secretary, Crown Estate Commissioners 1
The Mayor of Richmond-upon-Thames 1
The Treasurer of Her Majesty's Household 1
The Comptroller of Her Majesty's Household 1
The Vice-Chamberlain of Her Majesty's Household 1
The Lords Commissioners of the Treasury 5
The Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms 1
The Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard 1
The Sheriff and Officers of the City of London 7