§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what revisions are being made to the cash limit for Northern Ireland departmental services.
§ Mr. PriorThe cash limit for Northern Ireland Departmental Services (NID 1) has been increased by £42.74 million from £1, 699.729 million to £1, 742.469 million. The change reflects the additional £44.9 million made available from the Contingency Reserve to finance 273W the new arrangements for Northern Ireland electricity tariffs; a reallocation of £6.2 million from non-cash limited to cash limited services for the same purpose; a reallocation of £1.25 million from non-cash limited services into cash limited services as part of the package of aid to the Northern Ireland agriculture industry, which was announced to the House by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 3 April; offset by a transfer of £9.61 million from NID 1 cash limit to the Northern Ireland Office cash limit to cover additional police costs arising mainly from the Maze hunger strike. The last of these resulted in an increase to the NIO cash limit which was announced to the House on 26 November and was made possible by the identification of additional receipts. These increases will not add to total public expenditure.—[Vol. 2, c. 610 and Vol. 13, c. 462–3].