“The money the Royal Household receives to care for the Palaces has been cut by 19 per cent since 2000-01.  As a result, maintenance spending has been slashed by over a quarter, a £32 million maintenance backlog has built up.  Whilst the Department and the Household quibble over what should be done, priceless parts of our National heritage are crumbling into dust.”

“If the Royal Household needs more money, then it should give the public better access to the Royal Palaces for more of the year.  It is unclear why Buckingham Palace was only open for 63 days in 2008 whilst the White House, also the official residence of a head of state, is open throughout the year.  I am not suggesting we turf out the Royal Family to let the tourists in, but being precious over these buildings will not save them from the ravages of time.” 

Mr Bacon was speaking as the Commons public accounts committee published its report into maintaining the Occupied Royal Palaces. 

The Occupied Royal Palaces, which include Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, are held in Trust for the Nation and used to support the official duties of The Sovereign.  The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has delegated day-to-day responsibility to the Royal Household and gives the Household an annual grant to maintain and run the Palaces, which has remained at around £15 million since 2000–01 (a 19% real terms reduction). The report finds that the Household has neither a management strategy for the estate, nor a comprehensive analysis of the Estate’s condition.  In addition, the Household has reported that a £32 million maintenance backlog has built up, with repairs to the Victoria and Albert Mausoleum outstanding for 14 years.  However, the Department and the Household have yet to agree criteria for assessing the backlog and develop a plan for managing it.

The report also finds that Buckingham Palace is open for 63 days a year, ostensibly because of the number of official engagements and the costs involved.  The report also finds that other buildings such as the White House and Houses of Parliament manage to open for most of the year, despite similar obligations and security concerns.

 2 June 2009
 

See also::
PAC REPORT: Maintaining the Occupied Royal Palaces