HC Deb 04 February 1993 vol 218 cc244-5W
Mr. Pickles

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals there are to change the 1992–93 cash limit and running cost limit for Ordnance Survey.

Mr. Howard

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary spring supplementary estimate for Ordnance Survey, class VIII, vote II, the cash limit for Ordnance Survey, class VIII, vote II will be increased by £2,866,000 from £19,049,000 to £21,915,000. The increase will be a charge on the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure. The net running cost limit will be increased by £3,076,000 from £18,998,000 to £22,074,000.

The increase in the cash limit is required to reflect a shortfall in the receipts for the sales of maps, copyright and public sector repayments due to a reduction in the demand for OS products, partially offset by savings from running costs, capital and superannuation expenditure. Supplementary provision is also required to reduce the imbalance between input and output VAT resulting from cutbacks in capital and running cost expenditure.

The increase to the net running cost limit is required to reflect a shortfall in the receipts for sales of maps, copyright and public sector repayments due to a reduction in demand. This is partially offset by savings from running cost expenditure.