Glad to be of service.

[Fritz]

It`s good to know that in these days of cuts, increases in taxes, rising fuel and energy costs and public services being slashed across the board, all of which are inflicting more and more hardship on families......it`s good to know that her Maj is worthy of some much needed cash. An increase to the already over-burdened taxpayer of 5 million a year added to the sovereign grant. I`m sure she`s in desperate need of the extra help and those trips abroad.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22003165

 

[Jack]

How many spare rooms does she have? :-D

 

[arthurduncan]

honestly, in the week after the welfare reform announcements, to announce an extra 5M for the Royal Family is a terrible decision. I know and indeed agree that we have to have cuts including to the welfare budget but if any of that is to be acceptable then the best off need to lead from the front. The Sovereign List and MP salaries/pensions are a couple of the most obvious "lead from the front" items. It remains unbelievably true that the very best public sector pension is that available to MPs, and that while civil service pensions are now average salary, MPs pensions remain final salary. And although the cost of the Sovereign List has dramatically reduced over last few years, there can be no justification for a big hike when there should be an expectation that the sovereign use some of her own capital to pay for the backlog of repairs.

 

[Briant]

In the 'expensives scandal' The MP's that were found guilty all said they'd step down at the next election. Reason being that if they packed in before the end of their time they lost their pension. They all made fecking sure they got their full payout despite being proved thieves.

 

[Dub]

honestly, in the week after the welfare reform announcements, to announce an extra 5M for the Royal Family is a terrible decision. I know and indeed agree that we have to have cuts including to the welfare budget but if any of that is to be acceptable then the best off need to lead from the front. The Sovereign List and MP salaries/pensions are a couple of the most obvious "lead from the front" items. It remains unbelievably true that the very best public sector pension is that available to MPs, and that while civil service pensions are now average salary, MPs pensions remain final salary. And although the cost of the Sovereign List has dramatically reduced over last few years, there can be no justification for a big hike when there should be an expectation that the sovereign use some of her own capital to pay for the backlog of repairs.

She probably views this as leading from the front on the basis that if she takes the 5 million quid then that is 5 mill less that could be distributed amongst the needier of the hoi-polloi so she is saving them the "Will I get money, won't I get money" dilemma.

Good old Madge