§ Mr. Rostasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will announce the revision to cash limits for the Health Service to take account of the additional provision for the improved pay offer made to certain groups in the National Health Service.
§ Mr. BrittanAs indicated in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bute and North Ayrshire (Mr. Corrie) on 1 July, and subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, cash limits for the health services in England, Scotland and Wales will be increased as follows to take account of the additional provision for the improved pay offer to staff—other than medical and dental—in the NHS by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services on 23 June.
Present cash limit Increase for pay Revised cash limit £ £ £ Class XI, Vote 1 (England) 8,099,128,000 37,300,000 8,136,428,000 Class XV, Vote 14 (Scotland) 1,268,693,000 5,280,000 1,273,973,000 Class XVI, Vote 1 (Wales) 669,867,000 2,420,000 672,287,000 The total of these additional provisions for pay is £45,000,000. This represents half of the additional cost of the offer: the remainder will be financed from within the existing provision for the Health Service. The total additional provision of £45,000,000 will be met from the Contingency Reserve, and therefore will not add to the total of public expenditure.