HC Deb 04 February 1994 vol 236 c946W
Mr. Burns

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes will be made to his Department's cash limits and running costs limits for 1993–94.

Mr. Heseltine

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IV, vote 1—support for business, consumer and investor protection, energy programmes and administration—will be increased by £1,789,000 from £1,237,111,000 to £1,238,900,000.

An increase in the gross running costs limit for the Department of Trade and Industry from £328,299,000 to £330,088,000 fully accounts for this amount. The increase largely results from the take-up of £1,528,000 under the end year flexibility arrangements announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1993, Official Report, columns 512–17. The balance is accounted for by transfers from Property Holdings of £245,000 and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of £28,000 offset by a transfer to the Office of Public Service and Science of £12,000 in respect of machinery of government changes.

There are some other changes in the allocation of provision. This includes a net increase of expenditure by the Warren Spring Laboratory and United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority merger costs amounting to £5,591,000 and £200,000 towards support for the mining equipment industry. These amounts are offset by a corresponding reduction on the fast reactor energy programme.