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Margaret Thatcher's funeral cost taxpayers more than £3m Margaret Thatcher's funeral cost taxpayers more than £3m
(about 2 months later)
The overall cost of Lady Thatcher's funeral to the taxpayer was around £3.2m, the Cabinet Office said on Monday.The overall cost of Lady Thatcher's funeral to the taxpayer was around £3.2m, the Cabinet Office said on Monday.
In a written ministerial statement, Lord Wallace of Saltaire, a government whip, said the direct policing and security costs were £943,833 and the costs of the funeral itself were £261,976.In a written ministerial statement, Lord Wallace of Saltaire, a government whip, said the direct policing and security costs were £943,833 and the costs of the funeral itself were £261,976.
The Cabinet Office also confirmed the "opportunity cost" of the policing – the cost of having 4,000 officers guarding the funeral and hence not available for duties elsewhere – was estimated at £2m.The Cabinet Office also confirmed the "opportunity cost" of the policing – the cost of having 4,000 officers guarding the funeral and hence not available for duties elsewhere – was estimated at £2m.
More than 700 members of the armed forces were also involved in the event in April, but the Cabinet Office said it did not have an "opportunity cost" for their deployment because this was much harder to calculate than for the police.More than 700 members of the armed forces were also involved in the event in April, but the Cabinet Office said it did not have an "opportunity cost" for their deployment because this was much harder to calculate than for the police.
Thatcher's family made a contribution, covering costs such as flowers and undertakings, but the value of this has not been disclosed.Thatcher's family made a contribution, covering costs such as flowers and undertakings, but the value of this has not been disclosed.
At one time it was claimed the funeral would cost £10m, but Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office minister in charge of the funeral preparations, always dismissed that figure as unrealistically high. The Queen Mother's funeral in 2002 cost almost £6m, but the Cabinet Office insisted that was not an appropriate comparison because, unlike Thatcher's funeral, it included a fly-past and a lying-in-state in Westminster Hall.At one time it was claimed the funeral would cost £10m, but Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office minister in charge of the funeral preparations, always dismissed that figure as unrealistically high. The Queen Mother's funeral in 2002 cost almost £6m, but the Cabinet Office insisted that was not an appropriate comparison because, unlike Thatcher's funeral, it included a fly-past and a lying-in-state in Westminster Hall.
In his statement, Wallace said the security costs comprised £845,600 spent by the Metropolitan police, £73,000 spent by the City of London police and £25,233 spent by the British Transport police. He said these were marginal costs – money spent specifically on the funeral – and not costs that would have been incurred anyway, such as money spent on wages.In his statement, Wallace said the security costs comprised £845,600 spent by the Metropolitan police, £73,000 spent by the City of London police and £25,233 spent by the British Transport police. He said these were marginal costs – money spent specifically on the funeral – and not costs that would have been incurred anyway, such as money spent on wages.
The Cabinet Office figure does include the cost of recalling parliament to allow MPs and peers to pay tribute to the former prime minister. The cost of this is estimated at around £20,000.The Cabinet Office figure does include the cost of recalling parliament to allow MPs and peers to pay tribute to the former prime minister. The cost of this is estimated at around £20,000.
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