HC Deb 01 February 1989 vol 146 cc264-5W
Mr. Hanley

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether any changes will be made to his Department's cash limit and running costs limit for 1988–89.

Mr. Newton

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the cash limit for class V, vote 3 (administration, regulation of domestic trade and industry, and consumer protection) will be increased by £2,169,000 from £189,436,000 to £191,605,000. The increase will be offset by savings in class V, vote 2 (support for industry) of £2,128,000 and class IX, vote 2 (Department of the Environment: miscellaneous administration and housing grants) of £41,000. The increase in the cash limit for vote 3 has been partly offset by a decrease of £16,000 to reflect the transfer of costs for recruitment under the direct entry grade 7 Competition 1988 to the office of the Minister for the Civil Service (class XX, vote 1) and by £106,000 which has been made available to class VII, vote 2 (Department of Employment: administration) for a special employment service initiative in Sunderland. Overall, the cash limit for class V, vote 2 will be reduced by £2,128,000 from £568,256,000 to £566,128,000. The running costs limit for the Department has been reduced by £794,000 from £287,968,000 to £287,174,000.

In addition, the cash limit on class V, vote IX has been reduced from £2,417,000 to £1,000. Downward adjustments to the estimates of stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax payable on the sale of shares in Rolls-Royce plc mean that receipts appropriated in aid will be sufficient to cover expenditure incurred.

These changes will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.