§ Mr. BowisTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes he proposes to make in his Department's diplomatic wing cash limits and running costs limits for 1991–92.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydSubject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made: The cash limit for class II, vote 1 (overseas representation) will be increased by £8,209,000 from £629,076,000 to £637,285,000. The running costs limit on vote 1 will be decreased by £1,781,000 from £480,647,000 to £487,866,000. These changes take account of increased local staff salaries overseas and the adverse effect of overseas price movements which are partially offset by reduced running costs on the home estate, local budgets and information services.
The cash limit for class II, vote 2 (other external relations) will be increased by £27,939,000 from £165,431,000 to £193,370,000. This change takes account of expenditure on Vietnamese boat people; international peacekeeping operations in Yugoslavia and Cambodia; the United Nations Angola verification mission; a grant-in-aid towards the Westminster Foundation for Democracy; a payment to the Iranian Government under the United Kingdom/Iran compensation agreement and higher than forecast expenditure on United Kingdom contributions to international organisations due to the adverse effect of overseas price movements.
The cash limit for class II, vote 4 (The British Council) will be increased by £463,000 from £89,944,000 to £90,407,000 to take account of the adverse effect of overseas price movements.
216WThese increases will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned of public expenditure.