HC Deb 03 July 1981 vol 7 c526W
Mr. Onslow

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many times in each of the past five years the ceremonial flagpoles in Parliament Square and The Mall have been put up and taken down again; and what was the total annual cost of this in each of those years.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

Flagpoles have been erected and dismantled in Parliament Square and The Mall on the following number of occasions over the past five years:

Parliament Square The Mall Annual Cost
£
1976–77 2 2 33,880
1977–78 3 1 35,780
1978–79 4 2 51,380
1979–80 3 2 55,293
1980–81 3 1 40,381

In 1976–77 and 1979–80 flagpoles in Parliament Square were left up after one flag-flying occasion for use on another one shortly afterwards.