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Queen reveals cost of the Royals Queen reveals Royal spending bill
(27 minutes later)
The Queen has published her annual public accounts revealing how taxpayers' money is spent by members of the Royal Family.The Queen has published her annual public accounts revealing how taxpayers' money is spent by members of the Royal Family.
The documents show that the Royals cost £37.3m last year - the equivalent of 62p per UK taxpayer - and 0.3% less than in 2005-6.The documents show that the Royals cost £37.3m last year - the equivalent of 62p per UK taxpayer - and 0.3% less than in 2005-6.
The figures include £1.1m on hospitality and £2.2m on helicopters.The figures include £1.1m on hospitality and £2.2m on helicopters.
Sir Alan Reid, Keeper of the Privy Purse, said the public was getting "the best value for money in all areas".Sir Alan Reid, Keeper of the Privy Purse, said the public was getting "the best value for money in all areas".
He said the cost of the Royal Family had fallen by 2.7% in real terms from last year and 7% in since 2001. In all, £5.6m was spent on travel, including £2.2m for 514 hours of helicopter use.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall took the single most expensive trip.
Their tour of the Gulf states taking in Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain cost £345,710.
A total of £8.8m was spent on salaries for Royal staff and £1.1m on hospitality and catering, including garden parties.
Crumbling brickwork
Mr Reid said the cost of the Royal Family had fallen by 2.7% in real terms from last year and 7% in since 2001.
"The reduction in the amount of head of state expenditure reflects the continuous attention the Royal household pays to obtaining the best value for money in all areas of expenditure," Mr Reid said."The reduction in the amount of head of state expenditure reflects the continuous attention the Royal household pays to obtaining the best value for money in all areas of expenditure," Mr Reid said.
The bulk of the reduction was reportedly in the refurbishment of the palace of Holyroodhouse, but was offset by the cost of dealing with Freedom of Information requests. But the BBC's royal correspondent, Nicholas Witchell, said the accounts also revealed major problems with the structure of Buckingham Palace.
There is, he said, a major health and safety risk involving crumbling brickwork and plaster which will cost £3m to rectify.
The bulk of the reduction in Royal costs was reportedly in the refurbishment of the palace of Holyroodhouse.
But Mr Reid warned there was a "critical backlog" in maintenance work on Royal buildings and said it was essential that the government gave an additional £1m a year to cover the costs.
Going greenGoing green
Earlier this week, Prince Charles published figures showing that his household has gone carbon neutral.Earlier this week, Prince Charles published figures showing that his household has gone carbon neutral.
He also cut his overall carbon emissions by 9% in the last year by taking fewer flights and switching to "green electricity" at Highgrove.He also cut his overall carbon emissions by 9% in the last year by taking fewer flights and switching to "green electricity" at Highgrove.
The Queen is now said to be following his lead and the Royal household has begun measuring its carbon footprint.The Queen is now said to be following his lead and the Royal household has begun measuring its carbon footprint.
Mr Reid said: "Success has been achieved in reducing carbon emissions on gas and electricity by 1,000 tonnes or 12% during the year, through lower energy consumption and the introduction of a new combined heat and power plant at Windsor Castle."Mr Reid said: "Success has been achieved in reducing carbon emissions on gas and electricity by 1,000 tonnes or 12% during the year, through lower energy consumption and the introduction of a new combined heat and power plant at Windsor Castle."
But he warned that there was a "critical backlog" in maintenance work on Royal buildings and said it was essential that the government gave an additional £1m a year to cover the costs. One area of increase in this year's accounts was the cost of dealing with Freedom of Information requests.
A total of £8.8m was spent on salaries for Royal staff and £1.1m on hospitality and catering, including garden parties.
In all, £5.6m was spent on travel, including £2.2m for 514 hours of helicopter use.
In 2005-6, the Queen's accounts showed that the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall made the most expensive trip, spending £304,000 on flights to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and India.