§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for Defence within the total Trident costing, announced by him on 29 January, what percentage, and what actual sum of money has been set aside as the contingency reserve.
§ Mr. ButlerThe overall provision for contingency is a little under 20 per cent. of the basic costs, or approximately £1.5 billion.
£ 000s Class I Current cash limit Increase/decrease Revised cash limit I, 1 6,367,775 -12,697 reduced provision 6,344,258 -9,364 transferred to I, 3 -1,000 transferred to XII, 1 -360 transferred to XII, 2 -46 transferred to Northern Ireland X, 2 -150 transferred to IX, 3 -100 provision within agreed Defence Public Expenditure Programme 1 hitherto unallocated to Votes I, 2 8,329,907 -300 reduced provision 8,329,607 I, 5 460,372 -10,000 transferred to XIV, 2 450,372 The £12,997,000 reduced provision reflects surrender of VAT refunds on services contracted-out before 1 September 1983 and of excess provision following lower than anticipated take-up of the armed forces youth training scheme.
Other changes are in respect of transfers to other Departments' Votes towards improved age allowances for war widows — 18 June 1984, column 21 — changes in benefit disregard for unemployed UDR members and territorial reservists — column 415 — the costs of British representation at the hearings of the Australian Royal Commission on British nuclear tests; increased expenditure, borne on XIV, 2, on consultants' fees for design of defence works projects; and in respect of increased expenditure on Defence Vote, Class I, 3, retired pay and pensions.