§ Mr. BrazierTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what changes he proposes to the estimates class XI, vote 5 (Science) for 1992–93.
§ Mr. WaldegraveSubject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limit for class XI, vote 5 (Science) will be increased by £1,551,000 from £1,050,181,000 to £1,051,732,000.
Of the increase £480,000 is to enable the Royal Society to increase its programme of support for scientists in the former Soviet Union as part of the programme announced by the Prime Minister on 20 May 1992, at column 137. Of this £230,000 is offset by reductions in cash limits of £100,000 for class I, vote 1 (Ministry of Defence: personnel costs, support and other services), £50,000 for class IV, vote 2 (Department of Trade and Industry: support for industry, international trade, statutory and regulatory work, consumer protection and administration), £50,000 for class 3, vote 4 (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: Agricultural, Food and Fishing Services) and £30,000 for class XIX, vote 1 (Cabinet Office).
The remaining £1,071,000 is to enable the Natural Environment Research Council to meet the costs of the 251W conversion of the RRS Discovery falling in 1992–93. The grant paid to the NERC in 1991–92 was reduced by this amount to take account of delay in the completion of this work.
£230,000 of the increase will be offset and the remainder charged to the reserve, and so there will be no increase in the planned total of public expenditure as a result of these changes.