No early rise in Royal allowance

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32542, 27 February 1971, Page 17

No early rise in Royal allowance

(N.Z.P: A.-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 26. In spite of inflation and heavy wage claims from unions throughout the country, at least one Briton will not receive a pay rise this year: Her Majesty the Queen. A Labour M.P., Mr William Hamilton, who ■ is a persistent critic of Royal subsidies, asked the Prime Minister (Mr Heath) in the House of Commons yesterday: "Have you had any further representations from the inhabitants of the west end of The Mall about increasing hardship there?” Prince Philip told a Washington press conference in November, 1969, that the Royal Family would soon be "in the red.”

Mr Heath replied: "Funds available to the Queen from other sources, although not inexhaustible, will suffice for some time to come.”

The previous Labour

Administration was reported last year to have told the Queen’s advisers that the next Parliament would appoint an all-party review of the financial provisions in the Civil List, on which the Queen

and her family depend for much of their income. L Without more money from public funds, it was anticipated that the Queen would have to draw heavily on revenue from Crown lands, such as the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall. Mr Hamilton wanted to know whether inflation had made that inquiry more urgent, and Mr Heath indicated that the Government would decide to establish the inquiry if and when it thought necessary.

The Queen’s allowance, fixed 18 years ago at £479,000 a year, has not been changed since.

The allowance is a tradition that dates back to 1760, when King George 111 exchanged lands owned by the Crown for a fixed annual sum from the nation.

The present allowance amounts to five new pence from each citizen.

The Queen pays tax on her private investments and property, capital gains on tax on her share dividends, and income tax on her privatelyowned estates.