Mr. Alan WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which costs relating to accommodation of the occupied royal palaces are borne by his Department and which by the occupants of(a) grace and favour accommodation and (b) accommodation for members of the royal family no longer on the Civil List.
§ Mr. SproatI have been asked to reply.
My Department meets the landlord's costs of grace and favour accommodation in the occupied royal palaces in England, including that of members of the royal family no longer on the Civil List. These costs include maintenance of the structure and exterior of the building, painting or wall-papering of internal walls and surfaces, permanent fixtures in bathrooms and kitchens and the provision and maintenance of hot water, heating and electrical services. Occupants meet the costs of carpets, curtains, other soft furnishings and moveable equipment and day-to-day minor maintenance and pay for light, heat, water, telephones and council tax. There are slightly different arrangements for the Queen's house, Edinburgh for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is responsible and where his Department pays for all maintenance costs including minor maintenance. The occupants are responsible for paying for the costs of utilities, council tax, soft furnishings and moveable equipment.
Mr. Alan WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the £250,000 spent on refurbishment of apartments in St. James's palace was spent on royal apartments; and how much was spent on each apartment.
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§ Mr. SproatI have been asked to reply.
The sum of £40,000 was spent on royal apartments at St. James's palace in 1992–93, of which £38,000 was on an apartment for His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales when he moved from Kensington palace. The remaining £2,000 was spent on minor items of maintenance in other royal apartments.