§ Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the cash limits for the Northern Ireland Office and for Northern Ireland Departmental Services for 1986–87.
§ Mr. ScottSubject to parliamentary approval to the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for the Northern Ireland Office— class XVIII, vote 1— for 1986–87 is being increased by £7,151,000 from £474,626,000 to £481,777,000 to cover increased requirements for expenditure on law, order, protective and miscellaneous services. The increase is mainly due to higher than previously anticipated levels of police and prison officers' overtime working, partly offset by savings arising from a slippage in the prisons capital works programme and a reduction in the average value of criminal injury and damage compensation claim settlements. Supplementary provision to cover the announced carry-forward allowed under the end-year flexibility scheme is not being sought by the Northern Ireland Office and so this enhancement to the cash limit is net of that amount. This increase is being offset fully by a decrease in the cash limit for Northern Ireland Departmental services NID 1 from £2,300£1 million to £2,293.0 million and does not therefore add to the total of public expenditure.