§ Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any changes are proposed in the cash limit and running cost limit for 1989–90 for Customs and Excise.
§ Mr. RyderSubject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate the cash limit for class XIX vote 2 will be increased from £563,065,000 to £580,342,000 and the running cost limit for Customs and Excise from £505,620,000 to £505,897,000. The change in the running costs limit arises from the transfer from the Cabinet Office (Office of the Minister for the Civil Service) (class XX, vote 1) for challenge funding and the costs associated with a programme for the training of overseas customs officers, the costs of which are being met by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (class II, vote 1) and the Home Office (class XI, vote 3). There is therefore no net increase in public expenditure as a result of these increases. The change in the cash limit also includes an amount to cover the costs of payments made or being made in respect of interest (or ex-gratia payments in lieu of interest) on repayments of VAT, the need for which I announced in a written reply on 19 December 1989 (Official Report, col 178): these costs fall outside the definition of the public expenditure planning total.