Select Committee on Public Accounts Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence



APPENDIX 3


SUPPLEMENTARY MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT (PAC 2000-2001/38)

    (a)  When, and why, was it decided to stop verifying the amounts paid to the Royal Collection Trust from receipts from visitors;

    (b)  who was the Department's Accounting Officer at the time;

    (c)  was the decision with Ministers; and

    (d)  did the Palace request this change?

    (a)  Certificates from the Royal Collection Trust's auditors verifying these amounts were received up until 1997-98. The figures also appeared in the Royal Collection Trust's Annual Report. In 1998 the Department considered that it would be sufficient, in future, to rely upon the audited figures published in the Trust's Annual Report to verify the amounts paid to the Royal Collection Trust and that there was no need to receive the certificates as well.

    (b)  The Department's Accounting Officer at the time was my predecessor, Sir Hayden Phillips.

    (c)  The decision was not referred to Ministers for approval.

    (d)  The change was made on the Department's initiative and not requested by the Royal Household.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

17 January 2001


 
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