§ Mr. Bakerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why there is not a distinct cash limit for pay alone; and whether it would be practicable to split the limits for pay and general administrative expenses into pay, and general administrative expenses, respectively.
§ Mr. Joel Barnett, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 26th May 1977; Vol. 932, c. 566], gave the following information:
Cash limits reflect departmental responsibility for expenditure, and also, as far as possible, the division of responsibilities between the Civil Service Department and the Treasury. It is appropriate to control pay and other administration costs together.