§ Mr. Forthasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the 1987–88 running cost limit for the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments.
§ Mr. Tom KingThe running costs limit for 1987–88 for the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments is being set at £476.762 million. Further details for provision for individual departments are set out in the appropriate Estimates volumes.
§ Mr. Greg Knightasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the cash limit for Northern Ireland departmental services for 1987–88.
§ Mr. Tom KingSubject to parliamentary approval of the necessary associated Supplementary Estimates, the cash limit for Northern Ireland Departmental Services (NIOI) for 1987–88 has been increased by £22.0 million from £2,425.9 million to £2,447.8 million. This reflects additions of: £3.2 million in respect of a final assessment of the net changes to the Northern Ireland programme to reflect changes in comparable programmes in England in the 1986 public expenditure survey; £13 million following356W the decision to implement the recommendations of the NHS Pay Bodies; £4 million to cover arrears of teachers pay following the agreement between Department of Education (NI) and the teachers unions in Northern Ireland; £1.7 million in respect of employment measures announced earlier in the year and £1.1 million in respect of university academic pay, both consistent with Great Britain treatment. This gross increase of £23 million is offset by the transfer of a total of £1 million to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Agriculture for Scotland for the purchase of milk quotas. The total net increase of £22 million is being met from the reserve and does not therefore add to the public expenditure planning total.