HL Deb 15 February 1995 vol 561 cc40-1WA
Lord Reay

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What arrangements are being made to meet expenditure by the Overseas Development Administration in 1994–95 in connection with the proposal to change the status of the Crown Agents.

Lord Inglewood

As announced in the gracious Speech on 16 November 1994, the Government intend to bring forward legislation to change the status of the Crown Agents. In advance of the enactment of the legislation, expenditure will be incurred on preparatory advisory services, and suppliers have been contracted to provide these services.

Parliamentary approval to this new service will be sought in a Spring Supplementary Estimate for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Overseas Development Administration External Assistance Vote (Class II, Vote 5). Pending that approval, urgent expenditure, estimated at £59,000, will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.