§ Mr. Peter Lloydasked 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—for 1982–83 has been reduced by £11.7 million from £1,866.4 million to £1,854.7 million.
The revision reflects the transfer of £14 million from Northern Ireland departmental cash limited programmes to the Northern Ireland Office to meet both the costs of higher levels of police activity, including additional police manpower, and the additional costs of police and prison officers pay and allowances. The corresponding increase in the Northern Ireland Office cash limit was announced to the House on 16 November.
The change also reflects an increase of £2.3 million in NID 1 to take account of the additional provision for the improved pay offer to staff-other than medical and 165W dental—in the National Health Service. This additional provision was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services on 23 June, and the increases to the cash limits for health services in England, Scotland and Wales were announced by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary of the Treasury on 16 November.