HC Deb 28 November 2001 vol 375 cc984-6W
Laura Moffatt

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to amend his Department's(a) departmental expenditure limit and (b) administration costs limit for 2001–02. [19696]

Mr. Milburn

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Department of Health Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) will be increased by £768,348,000 from £49,805,054,000 to £50,573,402,000 and the Administration Cost Limit will be increased by £9,701,000 from £312,234,000 to £321,935,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital is set out in the table:

£000
Resources Capital
Change 617,391 150,957
New DEL 48,334,111 2,239,291
Of which:
Voted 48,923,590 254,195
Non-voted -589,479 1,985,096

The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from the take up of end year flexibility £359,377,000 (£9,000,000 administration costs) as set out in Table 6 of the Public Expenditure 2000–01 Provisional Outturn White Paper Cm 5243 published in July 2001.

Transfers of provision from the Home Office of £21,173,000 (£400,000 administration costs) mainly for the National Treatment Agency and drug treatment services and research. A net transfer from the Scottish Executive comprising an increase of £1,188,000 (£128,000 administration costs) for contributions to the cost of Non-departmental Public Bodies, committees, the high security infectious disease unit, HIV surveillance funding and postgraduate medical education, offset by £819,000 for out of area treatment costs. A net transfer from the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions of £4,950,000 (£5,100,000 of which £100,000 administration costs) mainly for the teenage pregnancy unit, offset by £150,000 for mobility centres. From the Office of Government Commerce £50,000 for Avonbridge House. From the Office of Science and Technology £45,000 (administration costs) for a contribution to the Human genetics Commission. To the Department for Education and Skills £4,097,000 for education health partnerships and educational advisers. A net transfer from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs £1,000,000 for research offset by a transfer of £100,000 for a contribution to rural stress action teams. To the Department for Work and Pensions £509,000 for the costs of Care Direct and preserved rights cases. A transfer to the Food Standards Agency £15,000 (administration costs) for the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. A change in the level of non DEL provision for NHS Trust depreciation of £240,000,000 now reclassified as part of DEL and a reallocation from resources to capital of £4,852,000 for costs associated with the National Care Standards Commission and Social Care Institute for Excellence.

The administration cost limit has been increased by £9,701,000 from £312,234,000 to £321,935,000. In addition to the changes detailed above there is a further net increase of £43,000 comprising an increase in the Medical Device Agency's costs of £223,000 for assessment and evaluation of devices, offset by a reduction of £180,000 in respect of the NHS Appointments Commission.

The change to the capital element of the DEL arises from the take up of end year flexibility £95,632,000 as set out in Table 6 of the Public Expenditure 2000–01 Provisional Outturn White Paper Cm 5243 published in July 2001. From the Capital Modernisation Fund £50,000,000 to support the NHS capital programme and a reallocation from resource DEL of £4,852,000 and a transfer from the Scottish Executive of £50,000 for a contribution to non-departmental public bodies.

The take-up of non-voted supplementary credit approvals for personal social services in England has increased by £423,000 from £18,700,000 to £19,123,000 in respect of the take up of end year flexibility entitlement mentioned above.

The increases will be offset by inter-departmental transfers and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.