§ Mr. Robert Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any changes have occurred in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office cash limits for 1983–84.
§ Mr. WhitneySubsequent to the revisions to the 1983–84 cash limits resulting from the reduction in national insurance surcharge and the establishment of an occupational health nursing service, which were announced in the House on 12 May, the cash limit for Class II, Vote I, Overseas Representation, Consular and other Foreign and Commonwealth Services will be increased by £4,850,000 from £328,659,000 to £333,509,000. This increase is to provide for extra expenditure on overseas students as announced to the House on 8 February. Similarly, the cash limit for Class II, Vote 4, the British Council, will be increased by £150,000 from £40,233,000 to £40,383,000 to allow for increased assistance to overseas students. These increases will be charged to the contingency reserve and will not therefore add to the planning total of public expenditure.
The increases are subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates.