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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