§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much public money has been spent on commemorations for HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's 100th birthday. [127909]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 28 June 2000]: The main event to mark Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's 100th Birthday will be a Service of Thanksgiving to be held at St. Paul's Cathedral on 11 July, and a Pageant to be held on Horse Guards on 19 July. Events to mark Her Majesty's Birthday on 4 August have yet to be announced.
Significant costs are likely to arise only from the Pageant on 19 July, which is being funded primarily from private sources. There will be some additional incidental costs borne by the Ministry of Defence. The actual additional cost of this, and of the other events, could be identified only when they have taken place.
I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and the Commissioner of Police for the City of London that no identifiable costs have yet been incurred by the Metropolitan police service and the City of London police.
Costs to the Royal Parks Agency as a result of the Pageant will be identifiable only following the event.