§ Mr. HopeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for changes to the 1997–98 cash and running costs limits within his responsibilities.[14066]
§ Mr. StrawSubject to parliamentary approval of the necessary token supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class VII, vote 1 (Home Office administration, police,210W probation, immigration and other services, England and Wales) will be reduced by £510,000 from £4,729,171,000 to £4,728,661,000 and the running costs limit will be increased by £5,251,000 from £1,887,680,000 to £1,892,931,000.
The changes in the cash limit are the net effect of the following:
A transfer of £490,000 from the non voted cash limit HO/LACAP to fund expenditure on the National Crime Squad Headquarters. The transfer will reduce the HO/LACAP cash limit from £89,546,000 to £89,056,000.Transfers to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of £50,000 for the International Drugs Co-ordinator post and £600,000 in respect of inter-departmental drugs prevention projects in Pakistan and Colombia. A transfer to the Department of Health of £350,000 in respect of the Drugs Challenge Fund.The increase in the running costs limit is the net effect of payments relating to the transfer of responsibility for voluntary services from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport of £771,000; £30,000 for a payment from Cabinet Office in respect of the Government Information Service Head of Profession; £4,500,000 due to increased demand for passports and a transfer to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of £50,000 for the International Drugs Co-ordinator post.The increases will be offset by transfers and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.