HC Deb 11 June 1999 vol 332 c400W
Gillian Merron

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what changes will be made to the cash and running costs limits for the Office of Electricity Regulation and the Office for Gas Regulation. [87026]

Mr. Byers

Offer: Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary revised Estimate, the running cost limit will be increased by £10,100,000 from £18,100,000 to £28,200,000.

This increase reflects the additional resources required by the Director General of Electricity Supply for the funding of the Review of Electricity Trading Arrangements (RETA) project (£11,200,000) and an accounting adjustment in respect of VAT receipts for contracted out services (£1,100,000). The increase will be offset by additional receipts and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Ofgas: The running cost limit for Class IX Vote 9£the Office of Gas Regulation£will be decreased by £938,000 from £12,938,000 to £12,000,000. This decrease reflects an accounting adjustment in respect of VAT receipts for contracted out services.