Grace and Favour Accommodation

HC Deb 14 July 1994 vol 246 c705W

Mr. Alan Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much has been spent and remains to he spent on restoring, refurbishing and decorating(a) the grace and favour accommodation occupied by Mr. Peat at Kensington palace and (b) that to be occupied by his assistant; how much has been spent on furnishing each; and what accommodation is in each residence.

Mr. Sproat

Fitting out apartments at Kensington palace for the director and deputy director of property services is estimated to cost £120,000 each excluding VAT and fees. This cost includes the provision of kitchen and bathroom fittings, flooring, doors, lighting, cupboards, tiling and decoration.

The director of finance and property services is a head of department and furnished accommodation is provided. The maximum budget provision for the furniture and furnishings is £98,000 excluding VAT. No furniture or furnishings will be provided for the apartment to be occupied by the deputy director of property services.

A substantial amount of essential structural, fire protection and other repair work estimated to cost £450,000 excluding VAT and fees has also being carried out in this area of the palace to prevent further deterioration of the fabric and to meet Bailey inquiry recommendations. Most of this work would have been necessary whether the area was to provide residential accommodation or not. It was occupied by Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone without major refurbishment from 1923 to 1981 and has remained unoccupied and uninhabitable since then.

Structural and fitting-out costs reflect the special requirements of historic buildings, as advised by English Heritage. Reductions in salaries take account of the value of the accommodation.

One apartment will have five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a sitting room, dining room, study, kitchen and utility room, basement room and two separate lavatories. The other will have four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a sitting room, dining room, study, kitchen and utility room, basement room, shower room and a separate lavatory.