LETTER

LETTRE

  The cost to taxpayers of the Royal Family up 245%

 

    The Sovereign Grants Account costs the UK taxpayer a small fortune. One analysis shows that the monarchy cost the taxpayer 87.5 million pounds (GBP) in 2021. That's a 245% rise from the 2015 figure.
    A significant portion (49.5M GBP) went to the maintenance of palaces. Buckingham palace alone consumed 31.6M GBP. The palace has outdated electrical cabling, heating, and plumbing that require an urgent overhaul.
    The government also installed a covid-secure bubble to protect the queen, the late Duke of Edinburgh, and their staff. Other monies funded the Royal Family’s official travels and catering for its hospitality needs.
    Another portion of the funds went to helping The Royal Household fulfill its commitments to reducing its environmental impact. It helps the royals support charities, plus maintain its Fire, Health, and Safety progams.
    The Sovereign Grant act that anchors the fund has attracted sharp opposition. In 2020, Republic, a group agitating for the scrapping of the Monarchy, launched a petition calling for the disbandment of the fund. The petitioners took issue with the manner of the fund’s calculation.  This touches us here, too -- remember the bills for police protection during Royal Visits?   Are these really of benefit to Canadians?  Which ones?
Bruno Mayer
Aylmer