Concerns: Heath

As prime minister, Sir Edward Health had serious concerns about Royal spending reveal previously secret official documents.

According to newly published government papers Heath consulted senior members of the cabinet over the "enormous" cost of the monarchy.

Much of his concern centred on the "vast expense" of palaces and castles.

Heath had been left to consider the problem of the Civil List costs as Harold Wilson, who preceded him as prime minister, had delayed a decision for fear of upsetting his backbenchers.

He considered two options including giving the Commons a free vote to decide the amount given to the Royal Household from government coffers.

"What is really in my mind ... is whether the time has not now arrived when the structure and size of the Civil List should become purely a House of Commons matter, with a free vote all the way through and without the government trying to dominate the house," he wrote in a memo to ministers shortly after his election in 1970.

"If there were a danger this would involve the government in a large unjustifiable expenditure this would be a dangerous innovation, but I do not believe this would be the case.

"In the present climate of opinion I doubt whether it is an attractive proposition either to the public or parliament to increase the Civil List beyond what is immediately required."

At the time he was being urged for a quick decision by then-Lord Chamberlain, Lord Cobbold, and the Palace as the List had been devalued by the effect of inflation.

Heath vetoed a 100 per cent rise in the allowance to the Queen Mother and eventually Buckingham Palace settled for her to be given £90,000.

In the end the proposals were not adopted; the Treasury continued to decide the level of the list.