Cash Limits (Hansard, 6 February 1992)

§ Mr. Lang

Yes, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary estimates, I intend to make changes to nine cash limits(a) The cash limit for class XV, vote 2: agricultural services and fisheries, Scotland, will be increased by £963,000 292W from £98,288,000 to £99,251,000. The increase in provision is required to meet an unexpected shortfall in appropriations in aid from disposals of property, higher than estimated commitments at the Scottish Agricultural college, increased provision for pensions and higher than anticipated demand under a number of grant schemes. These extra requirements are partly offset by savings elsewhere in the vote due to reduced demand under other grant schemes. The increase will be offset by taking up £543,000 end-year flexibility on capital spending and the balance of £420,000 forms part of the £578,000 reduction in the cash limit of class XV, vote 20, Scottish Office administration from £140,408,000 to £139,830,000. (b) The cash limit for class XV, vote 7, housing. Scotland, will be increased by £ 7,690,000 from £499,608,000 to £507,298,000. Of this increase £7,545,000, to Scottish Homes' grant in aid, will assist housing associations in the acquisition of local authority and new town development corporation housing stock. The remainder will meet the costs of further publicity on the rent-to-mortgage scheme and the provision of advice on housing matters. (c) The cash limit on class XV, vote 13, law, order and miscellaneous health services, Scotland, will be increased by £4,455,000 from £213,464,000 to £ 217,919,000. This increase will be offset by a reduction in the SO/LA1 cash block. The increased provision is required to cover additional costs in the administration of legal aid by the Scottish Legal Aid Board and to meet the costs of the investigations into war crimes and the Lockerbie air disaster. The remaining additional provision will cover the costs arising from the Orkney judicial inquiry, for social work offender services and miscellaneous health services. (d) The cash limit for class XV, vote 14, education, arts and libraries, Scotland, will be reduced by £1,000,000 from £222,963,000 to £221,963,000. This reduction, due to slippage in major capital projects, will partly offset increases in other votes. (e) The cash limit for class XV, vote 17, Scottish Record Office, will he reduced by £225,000 from £3,772,000 to £3,547,000. This reduction is due to slippage in a major capital project and will partly offset increased provision in other votes. (f) The cash limit for class XV, vote 18, General Register Office for Scotland, will be reduced by £1,200,000 from £13,812,000 to £12,612,000. The bulk of this reduction arises front savings made in the costs of running the 1991 census and will partly offset increased provision in other votes. (g) The cash limit for class XV, vote 20, Scottish Office administration, will be reduced by £578,000 from £140,908,000 to £140,330,000. This reduction will offset increases in capital and running cost provision in other votes. The running cost limit for the Scottish Office is unchanged. (h) The cash limit for class XV, vote 26, hospital, community health, family health (part) and other health services, Scotland, will be reduced by £3,239,000 from £2,355,487,000 to £2,352,248,000. This reduction partly offsets increases in other votes. (i) In addition the cash block SO/LA1, which covers non-housing capital expenditure by local authorities, will be reduced by £8,700,000 from £551,650,000 to £ 542,950,000. This reduction will partly offset increases in other votes. (j) The non-voted cash block SO/LA2, which covers net capital allocation to local authorities on new town capital expenditure will be reduced by £7,690,000 from £343,496,000 to £335,806,000. This will partly offset increases in other votes.

293W

All the increases mentioned will be offset by savings or charged to the reserve and therefore will not increase the planned total of public expenditure.