Ministers' home sweet home

Cabinet ministers are entitled to enjoy some of the classiest accommodation in the UK.

Although rent-free, grace and favour accommodation allocated to those in the top jobs is not without strings, as Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott discovered on Wednesday.

Dorneywood, gifted in 1943 by Lord Courtauld-Thompson

The Prescotts spend their weekends at Dorneywood in Buckinghamshire, a 21-room pile reportedly given a £400,000 makeover courtesy of a private endowment fund.

The Sun newspaper splashed news of the revamp across its front page, accusing Mr Prescott of living "like a wealthy country squire".

Mr Prescott is but one of the senior politicians enjoying the run of an elegant inner-city flat or spacious country retreat.

Close to work

Although Downing St is exempt, most of the properties available to senior politicians are taxed as a "benefit in kind", unless a minister is obliged to live in government property for security reasons - such as successive Northern Ireland secretaries.

Margaret Thatcher turned off the Chequers' pool heater to save money

During the week, Mr Prescott lives in a free apartment in Admiralty House, central London, check-by-jowl with seven other senior ministers.

Among those currently housed in the 18th century Whitehall digs are cabinet office secretary Mo Mowlam, and Margaret Beckett, the leader of the House. The building is part of the cabinet office complex.

Known to be fond of flash houses, Mr Prescott owns a turreted mock-Tudor property in Hull, and pays the Rail, Maritime and Transport union just £220 a month in rent for a two-bedroom flat in south London - well below the market average for the area.

Mr Prescott, who also holds the transport portfolio, has rented the flat since 1970.

Last month, the Commons Standards and Privileges Committee issued a mild reprimand to Mr Prescott for not declaring the low rent deal in the Register of Members' Interests.

Perks of the job

The Chancellor of the Exchequer traditionally gets the run of Dorneywood, but Gordon Brown passed on the offer when he got the job.

Robin Cook married Gaynor Regan at Chevening in 1998

Mr Brown also gave up his rightful claim to the more spacious suite at 11 Downing St in favour of the expanding Blair clan, instead moving into the service flat above Number 10 typically occupied by the prime minister of the day.

At weekends, Mr Blair and family often retreat to Chequers, the prime minister's official 16th century residence graced with extensive grounds and a heated swimming pool.

As home secretary, Jack Straw was entitled to move into a £2m property in Belgravia, central London.

He opted to stay in his own home, and the education and employment secretary, David Blunkett, moved into the Belgravia residence.

As Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook makes use of Chevening in Kent, designed by Inigo Jones in 1620, and a property in central London's Carlton House Terrace with five bedrooms and a ballroom.

And Peter Mandelson has taken up residence in the one-bedroom apartment in Hillsborough Castle, near Belfast, which is allocated to the Northern Ireland secretary along with round-the-clock security from RUC bodyguards.

Revamping the lord chancellor's residence cost taxpayers £650,000

The Dorneywood revamp pales in comparison to the money thrown at the lord chancellor's apartments in the Palace of Westminster in 1998.

Lord Irvine commissioned £200-a-roll wallpaper as part of a £650,000 makeover funded by the taxpayer.

The refurbishment also included £32,000 worth of mirrors and £24,430 worth of hand-woven fabrics designed to fit in with the Victorian-era restoration by Charles Barry and August Pugin.

Lord Irvine justified his spending by saying: "I believe that it is in a noble cause and that future generations will be grateful."