HC Deb 04 June 1991 vol 192 cc188-9W
Mr. Andrew Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether there have been any changes in the cash limits or running costs limits of his Department for 1991–92.

Mr. Scott

Subject to parliamentary approval on the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for class XIV vote 4 (Administration and Miscellaneous Services) will be increased by £42,658,000, from £1,838,770,000 to £1,881,428,000. The revision takes account of the work involved in the uprating of child benefit and national insurance contributions on company cars as announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget statement (£5,004,000); provision for the work carried out by the Department of Social Security on behalf of the Department of Employment (£4,589,000); a transfer to the Department of Health (class XIII vote 3) of £847,000; a transfer to the Home Office (class IX vote 3) of £4,000; a transfer from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (class XIII vote 6) of £269,000; a transfer from the Office of the Minister of the Civil Service (class XIX vote 1) of £10,000, an increase in agency payments to the Department of Employment (class VI vote 2) of £38,000,000 and a transfer from the civil superannuation vote (class XVIII vote 4) of £40,000. The additional requirements are partially offset by an increase in receipts of £4,403,000. The balance will be charged to the reserve and will therefore not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

In addition, running cost changes result from a transfer to the Department of Health and Social Services (Northern Ireland) (£1,965,000) for the running costs of the Belfast social security centre. There will be a corresponding increase on the Department of Health and Social Services (Northern Ireland) vote 3 Administration and Miscellaneous Services; also a reduction of £50,000 to take account of a variation from a previously anticipated pattern of expenditure.

As a result of these changes, the running cost limit of the Department of Social Security is increased by £8,605,000 from £2,107,212,000 to £2,115,817,000.