HL Deb 04 February 1987 vol 484 cc320-1WA
Baroness Carnegy of Lour

asked Her Majesty's Government:

If they propose to make any changes to the Foreign and Commonwealth Cash Limits and Running Costs Limit for 1986–87.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Young)

Subject of parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limit for Class II Vote 1, (Overseas Representation) will be increased by £6,310,000 from £393,260,000 to £399,570,000 and the running costs limit by £6,225,000 from £369,300,000 to £375,525,000; the cash limit for Class II Vote 2 (Other External Relations) will be increased by £4,061,000 from £99,557,000 to £103,618,000 and the cash limit for Class II Vote 4 (British Council) will be increased by £2,060,000 from £50,694,000 to £52,754,000. In all cases the increases take account of unavoidable increased costs. These include those associated with the introduction of a visa regime for certain Asian and African countries net of off-setting savings including reduced fuel and rent costs and increases in visa fees receipts.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class II Vote 3 (BBC External Broadcasting and Monitoring) the cash limit for this Vote will be reduced by £3,403,000 from £113,280,000 to £109,877,000. The cash limit increase of £1,643,000 announced by the Chief Secretary on 22nd July 1986 under the End Year Flexibility Scheme has been surrendered as well as a further reduction reflected by a declared underspend of £1,760,000.

The net increases reflecting these changes will be charged to the Reserve.