HC Deb 12 November 1992 vol 213 cc889-90W
Mr. Steen

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what changes will be made to his Department's cash limit or running costs limit for 1992–93.

Mr. Brooke

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made:

  1. (i) The cash limit for class VIII, vote 6 (Royal Palaces, Royal Parks, historic buildings, etc) will be increased by £28,000 from £190,596,000 to £190,624,000. The increase is required to cover the cost of new charges by Property Holdings for services provided to the Royal Commission on Historic Monuments for England. This increase is offset by equivalent transfers of provision from class VIII, vote 7 (Department of the Environment (Property Holdings and Central Support Services)).
  2. (ii) The cash limit for class XII, vote 2 (Arts) will be increased by £458,000 from £252,903,000 to £253,361,000. The increase is to meet the balance of 890 Government support for the European Arts Festival in 1992. A corresponding saving is being made on class XII vote 1.
  3. (iii) The cash limit for class XII, vote 4 (Administration) will be increased by £9,218,000 from £2,446,000 to £11,664,000 and the running costs limit increased by £4,878,000 from £5,574,000 to £10,452,000. The increase is to provide additional provision for the administration costs associated with the creation of the Department of National Heritage. A combined offsetting saving of £9,218,000 is being made on class XII, vote 1 and vote 3.
  4. (iv) The departmental running cost limit will be increased from £13,930,000 to £18,731,000 as a result of the reallocation of resources to meet the needs of the new department (£4,878,000 on class XII, vote 4). This increase is offset by savings of £77,000 made in the programme of consultancies which provides specialist advice to the Royal Parks division (class VIII, vote 6). There is no change to the net running cost control of the Historic Royal Palaces Agency.

All the changes are within the forecast outturn for the planning total included in the Chancellor's autumn statement today.