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| Buckingham Palace to get £369m refurbishment | Buckingham Palace to get £369m refurbishment |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Buckingham Palace is to undergo a 10-year refurbishment costing the taxpayer £369m, the Treasury has announced. | |
| The Queen will remain in residence during the work, to begin next April. | The Queen will remain in residence during the work, to begin next April. |
| Ageing cables, lead pipes, wiring and boilers will be replaced, many for the first time in 60 years, owing to fears about potential fire and water damage. | Ageing cables, lead pipes, wiring and boilers will be replaced, many for the first time in 60 years, owing to fears about potential fire and water damage. |
| Tony Johnstone-Burt, Master of the Queen's Household, said phased works offered the "best value for money" while keeping the palace running. | Tony Johnstone-Burt, Master of the Queen's Household, said phased works offered the "best value for money" while keeping the palace running. |
| The works will be funded by a temporary increase in the Sovereign Grant, as recommended by the Royal Trustees, who include the prime minister and chancellor. | The works will be funded by a temporary increase in the Sovereign Grant, as recommended by the Royal Trustees, who include the prime minister and chancellor. |
| This funding change will require MPs' approval. | This funding change will require MPs' approval. |
| Mr Johnstone-Burt said: "We take the responsibility that comes with receiving these public funds extremely seriously indeed; equally, we are convinced that by making this investment in Buckingham Palace now we can avert a much more costly and potentially catastrophic building failure in the years to come." | Mr Johnstone-Burt said: "We take the responsibility that comes with receiving these public funds extremely seriously indeed; equally, we are convinced that by making this investment in Buckingham Palace now we can avert a much more costly and potentially catastrophic building failure in the years to come." |
| The Treasury said an "urgent overhaul" of the palace was needed to prevent the risk of fire, flood and damage to both the building and the priceless Royal Collection of art belonging to the nation. | The Treasury said an "urgent overhaul" of the palace was needed to prevent the risk of fire, flood and damage to both the building and the priceless Royal Collection of art belonging to the nation. |
| Pointing to the damage Windsor Castle had suffered from a fire in 1992, the Treasury said: "The restoration took more than five years, and it is estimated that similar damage to Buckingham Palace could cost up to £250m for a single wing". | Pointing to the damage Windsor Castle had suffered from a fire in 1992, the Treasury said: "The restoration took more than five years, and it is estimated that similar damage to Buckingham Palace could cost up to £250m for a single wing". |
| Her Majesty's HQ | Her Majesty's HQ |
| As Her Majesty's administrative headquarters, the Queen spends a third of the year hosting events at Buckingham Palace. | As Her Majesty's administrative headquarters, the Queen spends a third of the year hosting events at Buckingham Palace. |
| When in town, she holds weekly audiences with the prime minister, and every year welcomes more than 50,000 people as guests to state banquets, dinners, receptions and garden parties. | When in town, she holds weekly audiences with the prime minister, and every year welcomes more than 50,000 people as guests to state banquets, dinners, receptions and garden parties. |
| The palace has 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. | The palace has 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. |
| It has served as the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837, playing host to a stream of historical figures, including a seven-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Charles Dickens, the US Presidents Woodrow Wilson and John F Kennedy, Mahatma Gandhi - who wore a loin cloth and sandals to tea with King George V - Neil Armstrong and Nelson Mandela. | It has served as the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837, playing host to a stream of historical figures, including a seven-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Charles Dickens, the US Presidents Woodrow Wilson and John F Kennedy, Mahatma Gandhi - who wore a loin cloth and sandals to tea with King George V - Neil Armstrong and Nelson Mandela. |
| 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. |
| In 2014, MPs criticised the Royal Household for mismanaging its finances. | In 2014, MPs criticised the Royal Household for mismanaging its finances. |
| A report by the Public Accounts Committee said that the Royal Household was "not looking after nationally important heritage properties adequately", saying that in March 2012, 39% of the royal estate was "below what the household deemed to be an acceptable condition". | A report by the Public Accounts Committee said that the Royal Household was "not looking after nationally important heritage properties adequately", saying that in March 2012, 39% of the royal estate was "below what the household deemed to be an acceptable condition". |