HC Deb 31 January 1994 vol 236 cc515-6W
Mr. Alan Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many grace and favour apartments there are in Buckingham palace; and to whom they are allocated.

Mr. Sproat

There are no grace and favour apartments at Buckingham Palace. There are two service apartments. One is allocated to the chief housekeeper and one to the person who is responsible for the pages, footmen, craftsmen and porters located at Buckingham palace. The Princess Royal, the Duke of York and Prince Edward use rooms at Buckingham palace, but do not have self-contained apartments.

Mr. Alan Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 19 January,Official Report, column 652, what offices were held at the time of their retirement by the military knights, pensioners, who occupy grace and favour accommodation at the occupied royal palaces.

Mr. Sproat

[holding answer 26 January 1994]: Of the 13 military knights, one was a major general—GOC midlands district—three were brigadiers—two from the Royal Signals (2) and one from the Royal Artillery—three were lieutenant colonels-17th/21st Lancers, King's Own Scotish Borderers and Queen's Lancashire Regiment—and six were majors—Life Guards, Royal Army Service Corps, Manchester Regiment, Royal Signals, Scots Guards and Coldstream Guards.

Mr. Alan Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 19 January,Official Report, column 652, what positions were held prior to retirement by the remaining four pensioners granted accommodation in the past on a grace and favour basis who were neither employees nor widows of employees of the royal household.

Mr. Sproat

[holding answer 26 January 1994]: One pensioner is a former nanny to the Queen's children, the second is the retired principal of St. Catherine's house, the third is a cousin of the Queen and the fourth is an unmarried daughter of a former Chief of the General Staff whose widow was originally provided with grace and favour accommodation.

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