HL Deb 06 November 1991 vol 532 cc9-10WA
Lord Gainford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What changes they propose to make to the cash limit and running costs limit for the Department of Transport.

The Minister of State, Department of Transport (Lord Brabazon of Tara)

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit in Class VII will be changed as follows:

Class and vote Current cash limit Changes Revised cash limit

(£ thousand)

VII, 1 1,968,824 -15,160 (a) 1,953,664
2 232,444 1,994 (b) 234,438

(a) There is a reduction of £15,000,000 in the cash limit on this Vote to cover part of a shortfall on Class VII, Vote 3 and additionally £160,000 running costs has been transferred to Class VII, Vote 2 in respect of certain relocation costs;

(b) take up of entitlement to end year flexibility announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 17th July 1991 (Official Report, cols. 186–189). There are additions in respect of repayment services of £80,000 from the Department of Trade and Industry (Class IV, Vote 2) and £15,000 running costs from the Civil Service Commission (Class XIX, Vote 1) together with an addition of £1,000,000 for consultancy work connected with the sale of the Trust Ports. There is a reduction of £325,000 in Appropriations in Aid as a consequence of the transfer of Offshore Safety responsibilities to the Department of Employment. There are reductions on this Vote in respect of the transfer of running costs to the Department of Employment for Offshore Safety (£300,000) and to the Lord Chancellor's Department (Class XIX, Vote 1) for pensions (£21,000)

The running costs limit of the Department of Transport has been reduced by £306,000 from £379,290,000 to £378,984,000 as a consequence of the above.

The increase is within the forecast outturn for the planning total included in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement today.