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AIRMILES ANDY IS CALLED TO ACCOUNT

Andrew’s jaunts are in question

Sunday November 30,2008

By Adam Helliker

Now that the Queen has signalled that the Royal Family must be “seen to be giving value” in these straitened times, the spotlight is once again falling on the Duke of York, who has taken some stick over the years about the value of his job as Britain’s roving trade ambassador.

Earlier this year, following further criticism about the cost of his role, Prince Andrew announced that he had called in accountants PriceWaterhouseCoopers to conduct a review of his performance.

His aides say he was keen to show how successful his job was and also where it could be improved.

The study started in January and was due to end in June but it still has yet to see the light of day, and royal observers are wondering whether it will ever be published.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman says the report is “still in progress” and “a decision will be taken later” on whether it will be made public.

Critics of “Airmiles Andy” have accused him of exploiting his role as a trade ambassador to fly round the world taking advantage of the best beaches and golf courses.

The risk is that if the report is not released, the Prince may again be perceived as not being quite the value for money that he believes.

As part of his agreement with the accountancy firm Andrew sanctioned it to ask 30 stakeholders in the business and political world to give their thoughts about his role. Some 20 chief executives of British companies were also approached for their views.

Last week Andrew’s expenses bill was published for the first time under the Freedom of Information laws, showing he spent almost £130,000 on hotels and other costs during 16 taxpayer-funded trips to places such as Brazil, America, Japan and the Middle East.

But the figures did not include air travel, a sensitive item given his predilection for using private planes or flying first-class on scheduled flights.

Labour MP Ian Davidson is among those pressing for more transparency about the Duke’s role. “I would like to see exactly what he has been doing and whether these are valuable trips or just skives to play golf,” he says.

“There are obviously situations where it’s valuable to wheel out a royal but there needs to be proper supervision.”