HL Deb 23 February 1998 vol 586 cc57-8WA
Lord Hogg of Cumbernauld

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What changes they propose to make in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office cash limits and running cost limits for 1997–98. [HL659]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate the cash limit for Class II, Vote 2 (Other External Relations) will be increased by £17,945,000 from £229,815,000 to £247,760,000. The increase is required to cover UK contributions to certain OSCE, United Nations and WEU Missions of £26,429,000. This will be partly offset by recoveries of £5,000,000 from the United Nations. There is a reduction of £3,788,000 because of a negative Overseas Price Movement. This will be partly offset by transfers in of £304,000, a total of £204,000 from the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Class V, Vote 2 and Class VI, Vote 3), Department of Trade and Industry (Class IV, Vote 1) and the Ministry of Defence (Class I, Vote l) in respect of their contributions to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea following UK accession, and a further £100,000 from the Ministry of Defence (Class I, Vote 1) in respect of their contribution to the grant-in-aid to the Atlantic Council of the UK.

The cash limit for Class II, Vote 1 (Overseas Representation) will be reduced by £16,850,000 from £628,876,000 to £612,026,000. This reduction takes account of negative Overseas Price Movements of £20,742,000 (£10,095,000 running costs, £10,417,000 other current and £230,000 capital) which has offset a £4,000,000 running cost claim to cover major international conferences. There have also been three transfers to other government departments: £10,000 to the Cabinet Office (Class XVIII, Vote 2) for information work; £137,000 to the Department for International Development (Class II, Vote 5) for Know How Fund staff and £4,000 to the Privy Council Office (Class XVIII, Vote 3) to help fund the new UK Anti Drugs Co-ordinator and his Deputy. These have been partially offset by two transfers in; £25,000 from the Ministry of Defence (Class I, Vote 1) and £18,000 from the Northern Ireland Office (Class XV, Vote 1) for the Whitehall District Heating System.

The gross running costs limit on Class II, Vote 1 will be reduced by £6,701,000 from £534,813,000 to £528,112,000. The Wilton Park section of the Vote has been increased by £498,000 gross running costs, £29,000 other current, £65,000 capital and £351,000 appropriations in aid. These increases have been fully offset by reductions in the Overseas Representation section of the Vote.

The net running cost limit for Wilton Park has been increased by £149,000 from £638,000 to £787,000.

The cash limit for Class II, Vote 4 (The British Council) will be reduced by £1,637,000 from £97,884,000 to £96,247,000 because of negative Overseas Price Movements of £1,637,000.

The net decrease to the Vote will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.