HC Deb 31 October 1989 vol 159 cc149-50W
Mr. Nicholas Bennett

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there will be any changes to the Treasury's cash and running costs limits in 1989–90.

Mr. Major

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XIX, vote 11 will be increased by £1,004,000 from £55,779.000 to £56,783,000.

This increase reflects the take-up of entitlement to carry forward underspending in 1988–89 under the end of year flexibility arrangements, as I announced on 20 July 1989 at columns 258–62. The full entitlement of £661,000 on capital expenditure is taken up together with £223,000 of the £302,000 entitlement on running costs. Additionally, it reflects an increase in expenditure of £35,000 by the History of Parliament Trust to meet the costs of additional research staff. These increases will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

There is also an increase in provision of £85,000 to meet the setting-up costs at Chessington computer centre prior to the take-on of new payroll work, which will be offset by corresponding decreases in running costs limits of other Departments, as well as an increase to meet the increased costs of services provided by the Government Actuary's Department, which will be offset by a corresponding payment from the Government Actuary's Department vote (class XIX, vote 4).

As a result, the running costs limit of Her Majesty's Treasury will be increased by £308,000 from £74,944,000 to £75,252,000.

Mr. Devlin

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any changes are proposed in the cash limit and running cost limit for 1989–90 for the Inland Revenue.

Mr. Lilley

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XIX vote 7 will be increased from £1,209,573,000 to £1,234,973,000 and the running cost limit from £1,174,692,000 to £1,202,092,000. The changes in running costs reflect the amount agreed for the Department under the running costs end-year flexibility scheme, and to enable the Department to meet its forecast work loads including setting up independent taxation. The increase will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planning total of public expenditure.