HC Deb 12 November 1992 vol 213 cc945-6W
Mr. Bowis

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what expenditure will be incurred by the Office of Public Service and Science in the period 1993–94 to 1995–96.

Mr. Waldegrave

Spending on the areas covered by the new Office of Public Service and Science (OPSS) will rise in real terms next year. The programme totals will be £1,255 million in 1993–94, £1,321 million in 1994–95 and £1,349 million in 1995–96.

Planned expenditure on public service functions is £85 million in 1993–94, £84 million in 1994–95 and £78 million in 1995–96.

Provision for science, including expenditure financed by EC receipts, is £1,170 million in 1993–94, £1,237 million in 1994–95 and £1,271 million in 1995–96.

These figures include sums transferred from higher education funding of £125 million, £154 million and £157 million respectively, to cover the additional responsibilities of the research councils for the projects which they support in higher education institutions.

Within these totals, the sums available for distribution on the advice of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils will be £1,165 million, £1,231 million and £1,265 million. Total science provision for each year will be 3.7 per cent., 7.5 per cent. and 10.5 per cent. higher in cash terms than the estimated outturn in 1992–93, excluding the sums transferred.

I am inviting the Advisory Board for the Research Councils to work with the chief scientific adviser and my officials to consider how these sums should be distributed so as to achieve the best value from the resources available.

Mr. Paice

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals he has to change the 1992–93 cash limit or running costs limit for the Office of Public Service and Science.

Mr. Waldegrave

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for the Office of Public Service and Science (class XIX, vote 1) will be increased by £3,293,000 from £38,459,000 to £41,752,000. The Department's running costs limit will be increased by £15,046,000 from £49,098,000 to £64,144,000.

A total of £2,774,000 of the increase in cash limit is required to take forward the work of the citizens charter and £519,000 is required to meet certain costs arising from the creation of the new Department. The additional running costs reflect the transfer of certain functions from HM Treasury (class XVIII, vote 1) to the Office of Public Service and Science and, also, covers additional provision for the transfer of functions which resulted from the machinery of government changes announced after the general election. All the changes are within the forecast outturn for the planning total included in the Chancellor's autumn statement today.