Met pleads for extra cash to protect the royal family

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson made the formal request during a review of how taxpayers' money is spent on protection duties.

He acted after an internal police audit raised fears about the force's diplomatic protection wing. Officials said high-profile individuals could be in danger because officers are so
overstretched.

Senior officers said the Government should be given an "ultimatum" after years of underfunding for the sensitive roles.

They said the formula for calculating how much the force receives does not take into account the true burden of its responsibilities.

A review is already under way into how money is spent on safeguarding high-profile people including the royals, senior politicians and diplomats.

Most of the protection budget is spent on salaries and overtime for round-the-clock armed guards on palaces and hi-tech security measures.

Officers can work up to 70 hours a week, particularly on foreign trips, and can receive overtime payments running into tens of thousands of pounds.

The Met has stepped up its recruitment of protection officers but the financial issues have yet to be resolved.

The cost of safeguarding junior members of the royal family is one aspect that is believed to have come under considerable scrutiny during the review.

The issue came to a head over the cost of protecting Princess Eugenie during her gap year and as she considers further studies in America.

Police forces across England and Wales receive extra funding for "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.

Official figures revealed that the cost has been steadily rising, with the national bill in 2005, the last year for which figures are available, hitting £203 million.

A Whitehall source confirmed a letter has been received and Home Office officials will "respond in due course".

Another source said reports that the royal protection unit has been boosted by 150 extra armed officers are inaccurate and discussions continue.

Spokesmen at the Home Office and New Scotland Yard said: "We do not comment on operational security matters."