HC Deb 13 June 1986 vol 99 c370W
Mr. Stevens

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any changes are to be made to cash limits or gross running costs for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Fowler

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the following changes will be made—The cash limit for Class XIV Vote 1 (Hospital and Community Health and Other Services, England) will be increased by £49,640,000 (from £9,620,572,000 to £9,670,212,000) and that for Class XIV, Vote 3 (Miscellaneous Health and Personal Social Services, England) by £360,000 (from £389,061,000 to 089,421,000 (£300.000 of this change represents an increase in Departmental gross running costs). These increases should enable services to continue to be delivered and developed as planned following the decision to implement, from July 1986, the recommendations of the Review Bodies in respect of doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and professions allied to medicine, as announced by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, on 22 May 1986. —The cash limit for Class XV, Vote 5 (Administration and Miscellaneous Services) will be increased by £5,360,000 from £1,163,288,000 to £1,168,648,000. The increase is in respect of an agency payment of £6,800.000 to the Department of Employment, partially offset by recoveries totalling £1,440,000 from the National Insurance Fund. This reflects an increase in the costs of administration of the Unemployment Benefit Service as one consequence of the special employment measures announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his Budget. Statement on 18 March 1986.

As a result of these changes, the gross running cost limit of the Department of Health and Social Security is increased by £7,100,000 from 1,808,740,000 to £1,815,840,000.

The public expenditure costs of these changes have been charged to the Reserve and do not add to the public expenditure planning total.