HC Deb 03 February 1993 vol 218 cc215-6W
Mr. Richards

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for changes to the cash limits for his Department in the current financial year.

Mr. David Hunt

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limit on class XVI, vote 4 will be reduced by £6,000,000 from £156,095,000 to £150,095,000; the cash limit on class XVI, vote 5 will be increased by £4,746,000 from £501,172,000 to £505,918,000; the cash limit on class XVI, vote 8 will be increased by £1,876,000 from £1,276,914,000 to £1,278,790,000; the cash limit on class XVI, vote 9 will be increased by £40,000 from £59,123,000 to £59,163,000. The local authority capital cash limit—WO/LACAP—will be reduced by £2,162,000 from £451,334,000 to £449,172,000. The Housing for Wales cash limit—WO/HEW—will be increased by £35,000,000 from £121,469,000 to £156,469,000.

The reduction in the cash limit for vote 4 of £6,000,000 reflects a lower than expected demand for places on the TEC programmes mainly for unemployed young people. This reduced requirement will permit a corresponding increase in the provision for industrial expansion through regional selective assistance grants. The increase will be secured by means of a supplementary estimate on class XVI, vote 3.

The increase in the cash limit for vote 5 comprises (i) the take-up of end-year flexibility entitlement of £4,709,000 for capital expenditure as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July 1992, Official Report, cols 698–702, and (ii) a transfer from class XIII, vote I of £37,000 in respect of part-time training for career registrars.

The increase in the cash limit for vote 8 comprises (i) additional provision of £1,555,000 to cover the interest element in the charges of NHS trusts; (ii) additional resources of £298,000 in respect of changes to the external financing limit for the NHS trust and (iii) a transfer from class XIII, vote 3 of £23,000 in respect of the NHS Estates Agency.

The increase in the cash limit for vote 9 represents a transfer from class VI vote 1 of £40,000 to cover the capital costs associated with the transfer of responsibility to the Welsh Office of training in Wales.

The decrease of £2,162,000 in the WO/LACAP cash limit represents the net effect of (i) a reduction of £5,162,000 to take account of prior-year capital grant adjustments, partly offset by (ii) an increase of £3,000,000 in respect of the special package of housing measures announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 1992 autumn statement.

The WO/HFW cash limit will be increased by £35,000,000 to take account of the special package of housing measures announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 1992 autumn statement.

The net increase represented by these changes will be charged to the reserve and will not add therefore to the planned total of public expenditure.