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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Public paying less to keep royals | Public paying less to keep royals |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Queen used funds from reserves to boost her Civil List | The Queen used funds from reserves to boost her Civil List |
| The cost to the taxpayer of the Royal Family fell to 62p per person in the UK last year - a drop of 7p, according to Buckingham Palace accounts. | The cost to the taxpayer of the Royal Family fell to 62p per person in the UK last year - a drop of 7p, according to Buckingham Palace accounts. |
| The total cost of keeping the monarchy decreased by £3.3m (7.9%) to £38.2m during the 2009-10 financial year. | The total cost of keeping the monarchy decreased by £3.3m (7.9%) to £38.2m during the 2009-10 financial year. |
| The accounts also showed the Queen used reserve funds to boost her Civil List by £6.5m in 2009. | The accounts also showed the Queen used reserve funds to boost her Civil List by £6.5m in 2009. |
| This is the highest amount ever taken from the reserves, which come from surplus Civil List money in the 1990s. | This is the highest amount ever taken from the reserves, which come from surplus Civil List money in the 1990s. |
| A Palace spokesman said the fall was mainly due to a reduction in commercial charter flights and a refund of lease rentals from the Queen's helicopter. | A Palace spokesman said the fall was mainly due to a reduction in commercial charter flights and a refund of lease rentals from the Queen's helicopter. |
| The decrease represented a drop of 12.2% in real terms, the spokesman added. | The decrease represented a drop of 12.2% in real terms, the spokesman added. |
| Sir Alan Reid, Keeper of the Privy Purse, said: "The Royal Household is acutely aware of the difficult economic climate and took early action to reduce its Civil List expenditure by 2.5% in real terms in 2009. | Sir Alan Reid, Keeper of the Privy Purse, said: "The Royal Household is acutely aware of the difficult economic climate and took early action to reduce its Civil List expenditure by 2.5% in real terms in 2009. |
| "We are implementing a headcount freeze and reviewing every vacancy to see if we can avoid replacement. Property services funding will be reduced by £500,000 this year. | "We are implementing a headcount freeze and reviewing every vacancy to see if we can avoid replacement. Property services funding will be reduced by £500,000 this year. |
| He added: "Work will continue on assessing the condition of the Estate, but it is acknowledged that the necessary cuts in public expenditure will have an impact on the backlog of essential maintenance which it is hoped can be addressed in the longer term. | He added: "Work will continue on assessing the condition of the Estate, but it is acknowledged that the necessary cuts in public expenditure will have an impact on the backlog of essential maintenance which it is hoped can be addressed in the longer term. |
| "In the meantime, the Household is continuing to pursue opportunities to reduce costs and generate income from the Estate's assets, including commercial lettings and management charges." | "In the meantime, the Household is continuing to pursue opportunities to reduce costs and generate income from the Estate's assets, including commercial lettings and management charges." |
| The Queen received £7.9m from the government for her Civil List which when added to the sum from reserves made a total of £14.2m, an increase of £300,000 on 2008/09. | The Queen received £7.9m from the government for her Civil List which when added to the sum from reserves made a total of £14.2m, an increase of £300,000 on 2008/09. |
| Chancellor George Osborne said in his Budget last month that the £7.9m figure originally agreed by then prime minister now Sir John Major in 1990 would remain frozen for at least another year. | |
| Campaign group Republic, which favours the abolition of the monarchy, said the Royal Family were continuing to "waste many millions of pounds of taxpayers' money", some of it on "personal luxuries" like "butlers and dressers". | |
| Spokesman Graham Smith said: "There is no reason why the Queen can't be on a salary and be given a £1bn-£2bn budget for running her office. It's time to slash the budgets without reservation or sentiment." |