§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if, following the recent Budget, he will give his estimate of the total real level of his Department's budget, in 1995–96 prices, in(a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99; if he will estimate what such figures were for (1) 1997–98 and (2) 1998–99 following the November 1996 Budget on the basis of the estimates of the GDP deflator contained in that Budget; and if he will make a statement. [8299]
§ Mr. Dewar[holding answer 14 July 1997]: The figures requested for my Department's spending plans within the Control Total are as follows: (a) £13,578 million (b) £13,475 million (1) £13,707 million (2) £13,523 million.
In addition Scotland will benefit from part of the expenditure outside the Control Total which was announced in the Budget, for Welfare to Work and spending under the Capital Receipts Initiative.
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what new plans he has to introduce cuts and savings in his Department as a result of the effect on his Department's budgets for 1997–98 and 1998–99 of the upward revisions to the GDP deflators in the Budget on 2 July; and if he will make a statement. [8300]
§ Mr. Dewar[holding answer 14 July 1997]: All Departments are reallocating spending within their Departmental ceilings as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review.