HC Deb 04 February 1993 vol 218 cc328-30W
Dr. Twinn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any changes will be made to the cash limhts and the running costs of her Department in 1992–93.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XIII, vote 1 (Hospital, community health, family health services (part) and related services, England) will be increased by £28,278,000, from £18,509,508,000 to £18,537,786,000. This increase covers additions of £42,116,000 for entitlements to carry over underspends under the end year flexibility arrangements as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July 1992, at columns697–702. The increase also covers transfers from class XIII, vote 3 (Department of Health administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England) of £8,302,000 (£4,316,000 for work of the valuation office; £1,750,000 in respect of an adjustment in HIV funding; £871,000 for day and domiciliary care; £613,000 for the British National Formulary and Drugs and Therapeutic Bulletin; £390,000 in respect of the National Health Service Estates and Health Building Agency; £307,000 for the National Health Service Supplies Authority and £55,000 for the Association of Community Health Councils) and £351,000 for class IV, vote 2 (Department of Trade and Industry: support for industry, international trade, statutory and regulatory work, consumer protection and administration) for licence fees for use of the radio spectrum. These increases are partly offset by transfers of £22,308,000 to class XIII, vote 4, (Family health services (part) national health service trusts external financing, etc., England) for an increase in the national health service trusts' aggregate external financing limit; of £146,000 to class XIII, vote 3 (£110,000 for oral polio vaccines and £36,000 for the Special Hospital Service Authority) and £37,000 to class XVI, vote 5 (Tourism, roads and transport, other environmental services (including civil defence), education, arts and libraries and health and personal social services, Wales) for career registrars.

The cash limit class XIII, vote 3 (Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England) will be reduced by £3,277,000 (from £821,523,000 to £818,246,000). This reduction allows for transfers £8,302,000 to class XIII, vote 1; £130,000 to class XI, vote 2 (Department for Education higher and further education) for the conversion of social work training courses; £47,000 to class XV, vote 25 (Hospital and community health services, family health (part) and other health services, Scotland), £23,000 to class XVI, vote 8 (Hospital and community health, family health services (part) and related services, Wales); £13,000 to the Department of Social Services, Northern Ireland in respect of the NHS Estates Management and Health Building Agency and £62,000 to class XIV, vote 4 (Department of Social Security, administration and miscellaneous services) in respect of Departmental administration. The overall reduction is partly offset by £3,929,000 for the take-up of entitlements to carry over underspends under the end year flexibility arrangements as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July 1992, at columns 697–702 (capital £2,655,000 and departmental running cost of £1,264,000); the transfer of increased provision of £422,000 from class VIII, vote 7 (Department of the Environment Property Holdings and central support services); civil accommodation and administration, etc) in respect of club subscription charges; transfer of £146,000 from class XIII, vote 1; transfer of £45,000 from class VI, vote 1 (Department of Employment: programmes and central services) for advice on alcohol in the workplace and £758,000 transferred from class XIV, vote 4 (Department of Social Security: administration and miscellaneous services) mainly for printing costs, departmental administration, computer systems and for costs in respect of Age Concern.

The Department's gross running cost limit will be reduced by £2,627,000 from £269,236,000 to £266,609,000. This reflects the take-up of £1,264,000 end year flexibility on running costs, offset by the net effect of transfers mentioned above.

All increases will either be offset by savings or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

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