Cold Weather Payments

HC Deb 01 March 1991 vol 186 c629W

Mr. Allen

To ask the Prime Minister what parliamentary approval was given in principle to extra-statutory spending on cold weather payments.

The Prime Minister

Some cold weather payments will be of an extra-statutory nature, while others will be ex-gratia payments. Under the rules in "Government Accounting", the Treasury's guide to accounting and financial procedures in Government, they are reported as special payments.

Transactions of a kind which Parliament cannot be supposed to have contemplated when Supply was granted (which will include special payments) are required to be drawn to the attention of Parliament in the relevant account when more than £100,000 in aggregate is paid out.