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| Repairs backlog at Royal Palaces | Repairs backlog at Royal Palaces |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| MPs have criticised the government over its management of Britain's Royal palaces, which have a maintenance backlog totalling £32m. | MPs have criticised the government over its management of Britain's Royal palaces, which have a maintenance backlog totalling £32m. |
| The Public Accounts Committee said it warned ministers to keep a "close eye" on the Queen's estate seven years ago. | The Public Accounts Committee said it warned ministers to keep a "close eye" on the Queen's estate seven years ago. |
| The comments follow a report from the National Audit Office which found no comprehensive record of the condition of the occupied palaces. | The comments follow a report from the National Audit Office which found no comprehensive record of the condition of the occupied palaces. |
| The government said it faced "tough decisions" over public spending. | The government said it faced "tough decisions" over public spending. |
| Accurate survey | Accurate survey |
| The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has overall responsibility for the maintenance of occupied Royal palaces but management and operating responsibility rests with the Royal Household's property services. | The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has overall responsibility for the maintenance of occupied Royal palaces but management and operating responsibility rests with the Royal Household's property services. |
| The National Audit Office (NAO) said the department and the Royal Household had not agreed a way of managing the repairs. | The National Audit Office (NAO) said the department and the Royal Household had not agreed a way of managing the repairs. |
| The Royal Household and Department for Culture, Media and Sport need to develop a way of measuring the condition of the estate over time Tim Burr, NAO | The Royal Household and Department for Culture, Media and Sport need to develop a way of measuring the condition of the estate over time Tim Burr, NAO |
| The public spending watchdog said the government did not have a clear basis for assessing whether the buildings were being maintained to a standard consistent with their royal, architectural and historic status. | The public spending watchdog said the government did not have a clear basis for assessing whether the buildings were being maintained to a standard consistent with their royal, architectural and historic status. |
| Edward Leigh, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, said: "There is actually no comprehensive record of the condition of the estate. | Edward Leigh, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, said: "There is actually no comprehensive record of the condition of the estate. |
| "Without this, how can the department hold the Royal Household to account? | "Without this, how can the department hold the Royal Household to account? |
| "And why has the department set objectives if it has no way of measuring whether they are achieved?" | "And why has the department set objectives if it has no way of measuring whether they are achieved?" |
| Funding shortfall | Funding shortfall |
| The occupied Royal palaces are held in trust for the nation by the Queen but the cost of maintaining them falls on the government. | The occupied Royal palaces are held in trust for the nation by the Queen but the cost of maintaining them falls on the government. |
| The whole estate encompasses about 360 buildings including Windsor Castle, Clarence House - the Prince of Wales' London home - St James Palace and parts of Kensington Palace. | |
| All departments face tough decisions about where to direct public spending to ensure value for money for taxpayers Government spokesman | All departments face tough decisions about where to direct public spending to ensure value for money for taxpayers Government spokesman |
| Last financial year, the Royal Household received £15m grant-in-aid for the upkeep of the palaces but the NAO report said this had remained broadly the same since 2000 and represented a 19% drop in real terms. | Last financial year, the Royal Household received £15m grant-in-aid for the upkeep of the palaces but the NAO report said this had remained broadly the same since 2000 and represented a 19% drop in real terms. |
| In recent years, officials have asked the government for an increase of £1m a year for maintenance but the extra funding was not received. | In recent years, officials have asked the government for an increase of £1m a year for maintenance but the extra funding was not received. |
| The report, which looks at all aspects of palace maintenance work, stated that out of the £32m backlog, £26m of projects should have been completed already and a further £6m of work should be scheduled in the next 10 years. | The report, which looks at all aspects of palace maintenance work, stated that out of the £32m backlog, £26m of projects should have been completed already and a further £6m of work should be scheduled in the next 10 years. |
| Some jobs were brought forward for health and safety reasons - urgent repairs were needed to a crumbling wall in Buckingham Palace in 2007. | Some jobs were brought forward for health and safety reasons - urgent repairs were needed to a crumbling wall in Buckingham Palace in 2007. |
| National assets | National assets |
| Tim Burr, head of the NAO, said: "The Royal Household is making efforts to be more efficient in how it uses its funds, but there is no measure of how effectively the palaces are being maintained. | Tim Burr, head of the NAO, said: "The Royal Household is making efforts to be more efficient in how it uses its funds, but there is no measure of how effectively the palaces are being maintained. |
| "The Royal Household and Department for Culture, Media and Sport need to develop a way of measuring the condition of the estate over time, so that the department has confidence that the future of these national assets is secure." | "The Royal Household and Department for Culture, Media and Sport need to develop a way of measuring the condition of the estate over time, so that the department has confidence that the future of these national assets is secure." |
| A DCMS spokesman said it was working with the Royal Household's property services to form a "comprehensive picture" of the state of the palaces. | A DCMS spokesman said it was working with the Royal Household's property services to form a "comprehensive picture" of the state of the palaces. |
| "All departments face tough decisions about where to direct public spending to ensure value for money for taxpayers," he said. | "All departments face tough decisions about where to direct public spending to ensure value for money for taxpayers," he said. |
| "We recognise the occupied Royal palaces are a unique collection of buildings of great architectural and historic importance and we work closely with the Palace to ensure they are protected for the nation." | "We recognise the occupied Royal palaces are a unique collection of buildings of great architectural and historic importance and we work closely with the Palace to ensure they are protected for the nation." |
| The Royal Household did not want to comment on the report. | The Royal Household did not want to comment on the report. |
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