§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether there have been any changes in the cash limits or running costs limit of his Department for 1990–91.
§ Mr. ScottSubject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class 17W XIV, vote 6 (housing benefit administration and community charge benefit administration) will be increased by £5,500,000 from £114,464,000 to £119,964,000. The revision takes account of local authorities' additional administrative costs due to the raising of the capital limit for entitlement to housing benefit and community charge benefit from £8,000 to £16,000.
Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for class XIV, vote 7 (administration and miscellaneous services) will be increased by £116,000 from £1,706,259,001) to £1,706,375,000. The revision takes account of a transfer from the Department of Health (class XIII, vote 3) £224,000, a transfer to Scottish Office (class XV, vote 21) £63,000, and a transfer to Inland Revenue (class XVIII, vote 7) £45,000. In addition running cost changes result from a transfer to Department of Health and Social Services (Northern Ireland) for the running costs of the Belfast social security centre and the store for paid orders at Lisahally. There will be a corresponding increase on Department of Health and Social Services (Northern Ireland) vote 3, administration and miscellaneous services. There is also an increase of £1,813,000 to take account of certain variations from previously anticipated patterns of expenditure.
As a result of the changes the running costs limit of the Department of Social Security is increased by £850,000 from £1,930,326,000 to £1,931,176,000.
These increases are within the forecast outturn for the planning total included in the Chancellor's autumn statement today.