§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much of the contingency reserve of £400 million for 1976–77 as shown at table 2168 on page 125 of Command Paper No. 5879 is attributable to Northern Ireland Government Departments which Departments have made such reserve provision ; and for what services.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe contingency reserve provision is estimated on a United Kingdom basis and is not attributable to any specific programme either in Great Britain or Northern Ireland. It follows that no Northern Ireland Department has made a reserve provision in the sense of the Question, but Northern Ireland's claims upon the contingency reserve receive equal consideration with claims in respect of other programmes, each claim being dealt with on its merits.