HC Deb 07 December 1992 vol 215 cc467-8W
Mr. Alan Williams

To ask the Prime Minister what items or headings of expenditure have been transferred from the royal family's expenditure funded from the civil list to the Government since 1972; on what dates; what is the current cost to the Exchequer of each such item or heading; and what was their cost at the time of their transfer.

The Prime Minister

[holding answer 2 December 1992]: So far as I am aware, no items or headings of direct expenditure have been transferred from the civil list to the Government since 1972. However, following advice taken in 1987, consistent with government fees and charges policy, the royal household took on board the feasibility of charging full costs for certain administrative services. These included, for example, charging for the accommodation and support services provided to staff based in the royal household but who are employed by Government Departments. Similar charges are made on behalf of the civil list to the household's royal collection department and to the Prince of Wales's office. The cost to Government Departments in the years 1987–90, which should be seen in the context of the "1990 Royal Trustees Report"—HC 629—are as follows:

£
1987 83,372
1988 138,310
1989 132,809
1990 162,810

The separate identification of full costs for administrative services is in line with the Government's policy of identifying costs across the public sector.

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