HC Deb 13 November 1986 vol 105 c2W
Mr. Charles Wardle

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to make any changes to the local authority capital cash limits.

Mr. Hurd

To provide for supplementary capital allocations totalling £5.4 million which have been agreed for the fire and civil defence authorities in Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire and Tyne and Wear for 1986–87, the cash limit DOE-LA1 (capital expenditure in England by local authorities) has been increased by £5.4 million, from £2,361.2 million to £2,366.6 million and the cash limit HO-LA1 (local authority expenditure for capital projects on magistrates courts, probation and police service) has been correspondingly reduced from £132 million to £126.6 million. This transfer will have no effect on the public expenditure planning total for 1986–87.

Mr. Charles Wardle

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes are to be made to his Department's control over capital allocations for police, magistrates' courts and probation office buildings.

Mr. Hurd

Following consultations with the relevant representative organisations, two Home Office circulars were issued on 11 November setting out new procedures for obtaining Home Office approval for schemes for police, magistrates' courts and probation office buildings and capital allocations for such schemes.

The main purpose of the changes is to provide a framework for getting better value for money from these capital allocations and the specific grant which the Home Office pays in respect of expenditure arising from them, and to reduce the level of central Government involvement in the detail of individual schemes.

The principal change is that instead of the detailed submissions required under the existing unit cost control system, The responsible authorities will send to the Home Office investment appraisals of schemes estimated to cost £1 million or more. This will place more clearly on the authorities responsibility for obtaining value for money in individual schemes. The new procedures will operate from 15 December.