§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has to reduce the expenditure on the state opening of 539W Parliament; and what is his latest calculation of the total cost of the last state opening. [8001]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 6 December 1996]Expenditure on the state opening of Parliament properly reflects the nature of the occasion. The deployment of police officers to maintain public order on the route of the procession is an operational matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.
On the cost of the last state opening, I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 11 November, Official Report, column 32, and to the answers given by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, 19 November, Official Report, column 504 and by my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State, Home Office, 16 December, Official Report, column 450.