Londoners subsidise royal protection as Scotland Yard reveals security cost

Scotland Yard racked up a 113,598,687 bill for armed bodyguards who shadow high-profile individuals and patrol at risk properties during 2009-10.

The figure was less than the 127,784,028 spent in 2008-9, but similar to the 116,515,695 laid out in 2007-8.

The sums can be made public for the first time after being included in internal budget papers filed by accountants at the end of the financial year.

But it is not clear if the money is only the annual grant handed over by the Government – so the true cost of protection could be even greater.

Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has complained to successive Home Secretaries that the Whitehall funding is not enough to protect adequately those at risk.

As a consequence, London residents are contributing to international protection duties through their council tax.

Sir Paul has indicated that the protection bill must be cut and suggested he is impatient for a current review to be completed.

However, officers have already begun preparing for the expensive and complex task of protecting hundreds of VIPs during the 2012 Olympic Games.

One source said the latest figures include the costs of patrolling embassies, royal residences and other sensitive buildings, saying: "It shows the scale of the task the Metropolitan Police undertakes on behalf of the Government."

But Green Party politician Jenny Jones, a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, said the costs are impossible to justify.

She said: "Even in times of plenty these figures would be shocking, but in the tough times we have now, it's indefensible to spend so much money on protection for famous people and frequently empty houses.

"The Government has to act quickly to cut the number of people protected to show they care more about policing for ordinary people, not just the privileged."

A panel of senior police officers, civil servants and diplomatic representatives continue to review the "who, why, when and how much" of protection duties.

The cost of safeguarding junior members of the Royal Family is one aspect that has come under considerable scrutiny during the review.

The Met will confirm only that the Queen, the Prince of Wales and Prime Minister David Cameron receive protection.

Others include former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and John Major and former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

Police forces across England and Wales receive extra funding for so-called dedicated security posts every year.

The Met bears the brunt of protection responsibilities and has been caught in a long-running dispute with the Government over how much it receives.

The total expenses bill for members of the royal and diplomatic protection squad has reportedly already reached more than 1.5m this year.