THE Queen has been granted #60,000 for fencing off an ancient pine

forest on her Balmoral estate, sparking off more complaints.

The cash has been given by the Forestry Commission and the fence is

designed to keep deer off Ballochbuie Forest, which is of high

conservation value and contains some of the last remnants of Scotland's

Caledonian Pine forest.

The Queen was criticised for applying for the fencing grant earlier

this year. Planning permission was given after lawyers argued that the

Queen is outside the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

It is understood that the Prince of Wales was against the fence on

conservation grounds, but the Duke of Edinburgh, who runs the estate,

ruled that it should be built.

Environmentalists have attacked the plan, arguing for a proper

programme of deer culling.

A Forestry Commission spokeswoman said yesterday: ''It is a scheme

that meets our aims which are to regenerate the pine forest.''

She said the money has been made available, but the estate had not yet

claimed it. The grant will go towards a final bill of #100,000.

Falkirk West MP Dennis Canavan said that this was yet another example

of one of the world's richest women not paying her bills.

''It is very ironic that the royal family are always very ready to

take hand-outs of taxpayers' money, whether it is for fencing at

Balmoral or restoration of their other stately home at Windsor, and yet

the head of that family does not pay income tax.''

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