Chequers Estate Act 1917

8U.K.After the death of the survivor of the settlor and Lady Lee or such earlier date at which they or the survivor of them may have surrendered their his or her rights in the Chequers Estate and the Chequers Trust Fund the Administrative Trustees shall administer the said hereditaments hereby conveyed and the said furniture pictures tapestry books manuscripts china relics works of art silver linen and other effects hereby assigned and also the income of the Chequers Trust Fund according to the following trusts viz.:—

(a)As to the Mansion House and grounds and the said furniture pictures tapestry books manuscripts china relics works of art silver linen and other effects hereby assigned upon trust to keep the same in good repair and condition with a staff of not less than four resident indoor servants and with the necessary number of gardeners and labourers and properly warmed and lighted and generally in a fit state as a furnished residence fit for occupation and upon further trust to permit and suffer the Prime Minister for the time being to occupy use and enjoy the same as a furnished country residence for such periods continuous or discontinuous as he may in his absolute discretion think fit.

(b)But if any Prime Minister shall decline to avail himself of the rights hereby conferred upon him then so long as he shall so decline similar rights shall be offered by the Administrative Trustees to the following persons and in the following order viz.;—

• The Chancellor of the Exchequer for the time being

• The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for the time being

• The Secretary of State for the Colonies for the time being

• The United States Ambassador at the Court of Saint James’s for the time being

• The [F1Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food] for the time being

• The [F2Secretary of State] for the time being

• The Speaker of the House of Commons for the time being

• The Lord Chief Justice of England for the time being

or to the respective persons for the time being holding similar positions to the above:

Provided that it shall be lawful for the Prime Minister at any time (not withstanding that he may have declined to avail himself of the rights hereby conferred upon him) to occupy use and enjoy the said mansion house and premises on his giving to the Administrative Trustees three calendar months’ notice in writing of his intention so to do.

(c)(d). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3

(e)As to the income of the Chequers Trust Fund the Administrative Trustees shall apply the same from time to time to the following purposes or any of them viz.:—

(i)In payment of the annual fees of the Public Trustee and of rates and other necessary outgoings and expenses;

(ii)In payment of the wages and board wages of not less than four resident indoor servants at Chequers;

[F4(iii)In the upkeep repair and maintenance of the mansion house and other buildings and the gardens pleasure grounds and other lands comprised in the Chequers Estate (including the wages of gardeners and other persons employed in connection therewith);]

(v)In the maintenance and renovation of the furniture and fixtures at Chequers and the purchase where deemed necessary of new or additional furniture . . . F5;

(vi)In payment of any expenses of the Administrative Trustees necessarily incurred by them;

(vii)In payment to the Prime Minister or other official occupant for the time being of the mansion house and grounds of a sum of fifteen pounds for every week end actually spent by him at Chequers to cover any expenses thereby incurred by him for which purpose a “week-end” shall be deemed to be any continuous period of not less than thirty-six hours during any seven consecutive days;

[F6(f)If from time to time there is any income of the Chequers Trust Fund which in the opinion of the Administrative Trustees is not required to meet the payments mentioned in the last preceding paragraph or to be set aside for meeting future payments thereunder the Administrative Trustees shall direct that income to be added to the capital of the Fund and it shall be paid to the Public Trustee and held by him as part of the Fund accordingly.]