§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further changes he proposes to make in his Department's diplomatic wing cash limits and running costs limits for 1996–97. [14200]
§ Mr. HanleySubject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for class II, vote 4—the British Council—will be increased by £4,237,000 from £98,147,000 to £102,384,000. The increase is required to take in a transfer of £5,500,000 from the Overseas Development Administration. This increase is partly offset by a negative overseas price.
In addition, the cash limit for class II, vote 1—overseas representation—will be reduced by £4,474,000 from £671,359,000 to £666,885,000. This reduction takes account of the negative overseas price movement claim of £5,224,000 partially offset by a transfer in of £750,000 from the Overseas Development Administration as a contribution towards the Bosnia peace implementation conference. The gross running costs limit on class II, vote 1, will be reduced by £1,720,000 from £520,693,000 to £518,973,000.
The increase will be charged to the reserve, or offset by savings and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.