§ Mr. CoakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for changes to the 1997–98 cash and running cost limits within his responsibilities. [30247]
§ Mr. StrawSubject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary token Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for Class VII, Vote 1 (Home Office administration, police, probation, immigration and other services, England and Wales) will be reduced by £4,538,000 from £4,728,661,000 to £4,724,123,000, the cash limit for Class VII, Vote 2 (Prisons, England and Wales) will be reduced by £1,014,000 from £1,756,845 to £1,755,831 and the gross running costs limit will be reduced by £4,552,000 from £1,892,931,000 to £1,888,379,000.
The changes in the cash limits are the net effect of the following transfers: between Vote 1 and 2 in respect of information technology provision, training and criminal justice initiatives, £44,000 to the Privy Council Office, Class XVIII, Vote 3, as a contribution towards the costs of United Kingdom Anti Drugs Co-ordinator, £8,000 to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Class V, Vote 4, in respect of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 and £5,500,000 to the Crown Prosecution Service, Class VIII, Vote 4, in respect of criminal justice initiatives.
There is a £1,000,000 increase in running costs with a corresponding increase in receipts due to the increased demand for passports.
The increases will be offset by transfers and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.