§ Mr. AshbyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give further details of the Government's contribution to the disaster fund set up by the North West Leicestershire district council for the victims of the east midlands air crash and their families.
§ Mr. Paul ChannonI have announced that the Government will be making a contribution of £250,000 to the east midlands air crash disaster fund. I very much hope that the Government's example will encourage others to join in helping the bereaved and those who suffered as a result of the accident. Neither the fund nor the Government's donation to it will affect claims for compensation.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will donate £100,000 from resources available to him, and £150,000 will be contributed by my Department. Parliamentary approval for these payments will be sought in Supplementary Supply Estimates. Pending that approval, both donations will be met by repayable advances from the respective contingencies funds. As savings are sufficient to meet these sums, there will be no increase in the public expenditure planning total.