§ Mr. Kennedyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, pursuant to the reply of 12 February to the hon. Member for Ross, Cromarty and Skye, he will detail in the Official Report those cases where there has been reduced need for 347W payments of grant-in-aid to the Highlands and Islands Development Board as a result of the board (a) not spending its budgeted amounts approved by Parliament and (b) obtaining receipts which were not used for higher than budgeted spending; and if he will state the total sums involved in each case.
§ Mr. John MacKayThere have been three occasions since 1980 that the provision for the HIDB's grant-in-aid has not been fully utilised. These were:
£ 000s Budget Outturn Shortfall 1980–81 20,650 20,021 629 1981–82 23,597 22,942 655 1984–85 34,627 34,619 8 In the first two years, the shortfalls were due to the board's spending being less than the original budget. In 1984–85, receipts additional to the original estimate were obtained by the board and its budget was increased correspondingly. The very small shortfall was against the increased budget.