§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what changes are proposed to the cash and running cost limits of the Lord Chancellor's Department Votes for 1997–98. [30380]
§ Mr. HoonSubject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the cash and running cost limits for Class VIII Votes 1 and 3 will be increased.Class VIII, Vote 1 Lord Chancellor's Department
The cash limit will be increased by £3,941,000 from £629,555,000 to £633,496,000. The running cost limit will be increased by £7,214,000 from £427,681,000 to £434,895,000.
The increase in the running cost limit of £7,214,000 is made up of: £7,000,000 increase in Court Service gross running costs to cover additional sittings in the civil courts; £170,000 Court Service non-running costs reclassified as running costs to reduce delays in immigration appeals hearings; £10,000 increase in Headquarters' running costs from Cabinet Office to meet the consultancy costs for a report on Misuse of Public Office proposals; and £34,000 running costs transfer from Cabinet Office to the Court Service for the transfer of responsibility of Sovereign House, Sheffield.
The increase in non-running costs of £3,737,000 is made up of a £4,013,000 transfer from Department of Social Security Class XII for the transfer of responsibility for civil means assessment; less £170,000 Court Service non-running costs reclassified as running costs; £6,000 transfer to Department of Social Security Class XII for research on pensions on divorce; and £100,000 transfer to the Department of Social Security to cover the salary costs of seconded staff.
The increase in the cash limit relates to £7,214,000 increase in running costs, £3,737,000 increase in non-running costs, offset by £7,010,000 increase in the appropriation in aid.
54W
§ Mr. HoonThe information for Loughborough County Court for 1980 to 1997 is set out in the table. Information on the national average for county courts with a similar catchment area is not held centrally and could be calculated only at a disproportionate cost.
There will also be a reduction in the non-cash limited legal aid expenditure of £7,000,000. This reduction has been made to offset extra provision required by Northern Ireland Court Service, Class VIII, Vote 2 for legal aid. Class VIII, Vote 3 Public Record Office
The cash limit has been increased by £2,550,000 from £23,286,000 to £25,836,000. The running cost limit has been increased by £900,000 from £23,536,000 to £24,436,000. £350,000 of the running costs increase related to expenditure on a project to microfilm WWI soldiers' documents, which is offset by a lottery grant of £350,000. The additional running costs provision of £550,000 is covered by end year flexibility arrangements. The additional capital provision of £2 million relates to the take up of capital end year flexibility arrangements.