§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total cost of operating the royal train in 1995 per mile travelled with a member of the royal family on board. [15954]
§ Mr. WattsThe total cost to the Exchequer of royal travel by train in 1994–95 was £2.4 million, including train preparation, maintenance and British Transport police security. That sum includes payments in respect of some journeys made in 1993–94. The total cost for journeys made in 1995 is not yet available. The operating cost of the royal train during 1995, both when a member of the royal family was on board and for positioning journeys to and from the depot in Buckinghamshire, was £21.30 per mile in 1994–95 and a slightly lower rate of £20.36 per mile in 1995–96. This excludes costs of overheads, maintenance and security.