APPENDIX 5
COPY OF A LETTER AND SUPPLEMENTARY MEMORANDUM
SUBMITTED BY HM TREASURY (PAC 2000-2001/88)
I am sorry for the delay in providing the notes
requested by the Committee at the hearing on 18 December on maintaining
the Royal Palaces.
I was asked for details of accommodation occupied
by officials in the Royal Household who are funded by the Civil
List and for information about the receipts from visitors to Buckingham
Palace.
I attach details, as supplied to me by the Royal
Household, of officials provided with residential accommodation.
The full set of job descriptions is still being collated and will
follow in a few days[1].
On the question of the receipts from visitors
to Buckingham Palace, the most helpful way for me to answer the
points raised by Mr Gardiner is, I think, to draw the Committee's
attention to the two statements attached. The first was provided
by the Department of National Heritage to the Committee following
its hearing on 23 March 1994 and published with the Committee's
report. It sets out the arrangements for collection of the income
by Royal Collection Enterprises Ltd, the reason why that is proper,
arrangements at the time for the use of the receipts and the agreement
of DNH and the Treasury.
The second statement is a written answer in
the House of Commons on 3 July 1996 by the then Secretary of State
for National Heritage. It reported the Queen's decision to extend
the opening of Buckingham Palace beyond 1998, with the revenue
accruing to the Trust. It also recorded that the trust would use
the income for the benefit of the collection while making a contribution
towards the maintenance of the areas of Buckingham Palace open
to the public, thereby helping to offset the cost to the taxpayer.
I hope that these two statements satisfactorily
resolve the questions that Mr Gardiner was asking.
Brian Glickson
Treasury Officer of Accounts
6 March 2001
Private Secretaries and Officials in the
Queen's Household provided with Residential Accommodation
|
|
Accommodated
|
Part-time
|
|
|
1995
|
2001
|
|
| 1 |
Private Secretary |
yes
|
|
|
| 2 |
Keeper of the Privy Purse |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 3 |
Master of the Household |
yes
|
|
|
| 4 |
Comptroller, LCO |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 5 |
Crown Enquerry |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 6 |
Director of the Royal Collection
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 7 |
Mistress of the Robes |
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
| 8 |
Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 9 |
Governor and Constable of Windsor
Castle |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 10 |
Deputy Private Secretary |
yes
|
|
|
| 11 |
Deputy Treasurer to The Queen |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 12 |
Deputy Master of the Household |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 13 |
Secretary, Central Chancery |
yes
|
|
|
| 14 |
Surveyor of The Queen's Pictures
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 15 |
Royal Librarian |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 16 |
Deputy Surveyor of The Queen's Works
of Art |
yes
|
|
|
| 17 |
Assistant Press Secretary |
yes
|
|
|
| 18 |
Special Assistant to the Private
Secretary |
yes
|
|
|
| 19 |
Equerry in Waiting to The Queen |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 20 |
Sub-Dean Chapel Royal |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 21 |
Chief Accountant & Paymaster
|
yes
|
|
|
| 22 |
Superintendent, Royal Mews |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 23 |
Superintendent, Windsor Castle |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 24 |
Management Auditor |
yes
|
|
|
| 25 |
Secretary, LCO |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 26 |
Assistant Secretary, LCO |
yes
|
|
|
| 27 |
Chief Clerk, Private Secretary's
Office |
yes
|
|
|
| 28 |
Chief Clerk, Master of the Household's
Dept |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 29 |
Secretary to the Private Secretary
(now Chief Correspondence
Clerk) |
yes
|
yes
|
|
30 |
Chief Clerk, Royal Mews (now Deputy
Superintendent, Royal
Mews) |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 31 |
Insignia Clerk, Central Chancery
|
yes
|
|
|
| 32 |
Administrator, Royal Collection |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 33 |
Superintendent of St James's Palace
State Apartments |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 34 |
Deputy Chief Clerk, Royal Mews |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 35 |
Assistant Curator, Royal Library
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 36 |
Arhivist, Royal Archives |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 37 |
Deputy Registrar, Royal Archives
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 38 |
Assistant Registrar, Royal Arhives
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 39 |
Secretary to the Assistant to the
Master of the Household G Branch (now Secretary to the Communication
Secretary) |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 40 |
Exhibitions and Maintenance Conservator,
Royal Library |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 41 |
Head Bookbinder, Royal Library |
yes
|
|
|
| 42 |
Deputy Bookbinder |
|
|
|
| 43 |
Armorer, Royal Collection |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 44 |
Reprographic Operator |
yes
|
|
|
| 45 |
Messanger of the Yeoman of the Guard
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 46 |
Serjeant of the Vestry, Chapel Royal
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Private Secretaries and Officials in Other Royal Households
provided with residential accommodation
| 47 |
Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth
The Queen Mother |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 48 |
Equerry to Queen Elizabeth The Queen
Mother |
yes
|
|
|
| 49 |
Private Secretary to The Duke of
Edinburgh |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 50 |
Chief Clerk in The Duke of Edinburgh's
Office |
yes
|
|
|
| 51 |
Private Secretary to The Prince of
Wales |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 52 |
Private Secretary to The Duke of
York |
yes
|
yes
|
|
| 53 |
Private Secretary to The Duke of
York |
yes
|
|
|
| 54 |
Private Secretary to The Princess
Margaret |
yes
|
|
|
| 55 |
Chief Clerk in The Princess Margaret's
Office |
yes
|
|
|
| 56 |
Private Secretary to The Duke of
Gloucester |
yes
|
yes
|
|
Additions
|
Assistant Private Secretary to
The Queen |
|
yes
|
|
|
Registrar, Royal Archives |
|
yes
|
|
|
Equerry in Waiting to The Duke of
Edinburgh |
|
yes
|
|
|
|
55
|
39
|
1
|
For 30 of the employees listed above, while housing on the
estate facilities the better performance of duties, it is primarily
because properties within the security cordons would otherwise
be unoccupied with no rental income to offset the amount of the
Grant-in-aid. This was referred to in paragraph 63 on page xviii
of the Committee of Public Accounts report of 1 December 1997.
As stated previously, accommodation will not be provided to these
30 positions on change of post-holder if appropriate use can be
found for the apartments.
The annex to the National Audit Office's report on Property
Services in the English Occupied Royal Palaces of April 1995 note
the following 11 Private Secretaries and Officials for whom the
provision of accommodation was considered essential.
— Private Secretary (accommodated but not in a house
maintained by Grant-in-aid)
— Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps
— Governor and Constable of Windsor Castle
— Special Assistant to the Private Secretary (not
housed as no longer a Commonwealth secondee)
— Equerry in Waiting to The Queen
— Sub-Dean of the Chapel Royal
— Superintendent, Royal Mews
— Superintendent, Windsor Castle
— Superintendent of the St James's Palace State
Apartments
— Serjeant of the Vestry, the Chapel Royal
The reasons why nine of the 11 need to be accommodated are
as follows.
Crown Equerry
The 30 carriage horses stabled at the Royal Mews, Buckingham
Palace are a primary part of the Crown Equerry's responsibilities.
Work starts early and problems may occur at any time including
weekends. It is traditional for those in charge of horses to live
on the premises.
Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps
The Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps is responsible for liaison
with Ambassadors and High Commissioners in London and entertaining
is an important part of his duties. An apartment is provided for
this purpose.
Governor and Constable of Windsor Castle
The Governor represents The Queen at Windsor and is expected to
undertake entertaining on Her Majesty's behalf. An apartment is
provided for this purpose and in lieu of a full salary.
Equerry in Waiting to The Queen
This position is a three year posting filled by a seconded
member of the armed services with early and late duties.
Sub-Dean of the Chapel Royal
It is traditional for clergy to be housed near to the church
or chapel for which they are responsible.
Superintendent, Royal Mews
The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace is home to approximately
50 families and the Superintendent is responsible for their welfare
and for supervising the day to day running of the Mews. He is
also responsible for responding to emergencies at all hours.
Superintendent, Windsor Castle
As for the Superintendent, Royal Mews.
Superintendent of the St James's Palace State Apartments
As for the Superintendent, Royal Mews.
Serjeant of the Vestry, the Chapel Royal
The Serjeant of the Vestry looks after the two chapels and
assists the Sub-Dean. It is traditional for post-holders of this
kind to be housed.
Job descriptions for the 39 posts listed above are attached.[2]
Q17. Why is the money from admission charges to Buckingham
Palace routed towards Windsor fire costs via the Royal Collection
organisation; how much is collected in total and how much goes
into the Windsor restoration funds?
A17. Income from Buckingham Palace goes into the account
of Royal Collection Enterprises Ltd (who manage the operation)
and net profits are then passed to the property services account
to help to pay for the restoration of Windsor Castle. Income is
proper to the Royal Collection because in accordance with the
long established precedent of visitors to the State Apartments
at Windsor, the principal purpose of visiting is accepted as viewing
the works of art and other items from the Royal Collection on
display. This decision was taken by the Royal Household with the
agreement of the Department of National Heritage and HM Treasury.
In practice, this does not in anyway affect the net profits going
to the restoration project. £4.83 million gross income was
received in 1993 (£2.28 million from admission and £2.55
millon from shop sales) with the net profit of £2.2 million
going towards the restoration of Windsor Castle.
The Royal Collection Enterprises Limited is a limited company
and, its accounts are audited in accordance with the relevant
legislation. It receives no taxpayers' money.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
Mr David Straw: To ask the Secretary of State for National
Heritage what the arrangements will be for opening Buckingham
Palace once the restoration of Windsor Castle is completed. [35822]
Mrs Virginia Bottomley: The then Secretary of State announced
to the House on 29 April 1993, Official Report, columns
514-15, that the Queen had decided to open parts of Buckingham
Palace housing important items of the royal collection to the
public and that income from admission charges would be given by
the Royal Collection Trust towards the cost of restoring Windsor
Castle. The Government welcome the financial contribution which
has been made towards the cost of the restoration of the fire
damaged areas of Windsor Castle. This has provided a considerable
saving to the taxpayer. This arrangement will continue until the
restoration is completed.
The Royal Collection Trust announced today that the Queen
has decided to extend the opening of Buckingham Palace beyond
1998 and that the additional revenue will accrue to the Royal
Collection Trust once the Windsor Castle restoration is completed.
The royal collection is held by the Queen in trust on behalf of
the nation. It is one of the largest art collections in the world,
yet receives no public funding.
The Royal Collection Trust will use the income to improve
the conservation, restoration, and presentation of this unique
collection, while making a contribution towards the maintenance
of the areas of Buckingham Palace open to the public, thereby
helping to offset the cost to the taxpayer.
1
Not yet printed. Back
2
Not yet received. Back
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