Royal Family: Finance
The question
To ask the Leader of the House, whether he plans to take steps to improve parliamentary scrutiny of the public finances of the Royal Family.
Answered by Sir Alan Campbell
Oversight and accountability arrangements for royal finance matters have been set by Parliament in legislation. The provisions in the Sovereign Grant Act 2011 subject the funding for the Monarch’s official duties to the same audit scrutiny as other government expenditure. The Sovereign Grant accounts are audited by the National Audit Office and laid before Parliament every year, and the Sovereign Grant is within scope of the National Audit Office's value‑for‑money examinations.
The Sovereign Grant Bill will be brought forward during the current session of Parliament, as part of which Hon. and Rt Hon. Members will have the opportunity to debate and scrutinise the public finances of the Royal Family.
There are also a number of other ways Hon. and Rt Hon. Members can secure a debate on this topic, such as applying for a Westminster Hall debate.
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