Cash and Running Costs Limits (Hansard, 1 November 1994)

§ Mr. Lang

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, I intend to make changes to eight voted cash limits, two non-voted cash blacks and five running costs limitsa. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 3, training programmes, roads and transport services and industrial support, Scotland, will be increased by £4,248,000 from £872,404,000 to £876,652,000. The increase includes a transfer of £740,000 from the Department of Trade and Industry in respect of certain innovation and technology support schemes in Scotland and the take-up of end-year flexibility entitlement for Motorways and Trunk Roads, announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July (official Report Columns 729-734). b. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 7, housing and environmental services, Scotland will be increased by £1,747,000 from £432,051,000 to £433,798,000. The increase takes account of a £1,979,000 increase in gross running cost provision for Historic Scotland from £12,725,000 to £14,704,000, reflecting the uptake of end-year flexibility entitlements and various inter-vote transfers representing transference of responsibility. It also takes account of an increase in provision for the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland. c. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 12, law, order, miscellaneous health and social work services, Scotland, will be increased by a net total of £5,822,000 from £296,863,000 to £302,685,000. Provision for running costs on this vote has been increased by £2,676,000. The changes include the take-up of the end-year flexibility entitlement for the Scottish Prison Service, increasing Departmental running costs and capital provision by £2,656,000 and £359,000 respectively. Other changes include an increase in the capital provision of The Scottish Office Pensions Agency, for information technology investment; and an increase in provision for health education in Scotland, for publicity on measles and rubella vaccination. These changes will be offset by transfers from other votes. d. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 14, hospitals, community health, family health (part) and other health services, Scotland, will be increased by a net total of £23,893,000 from £2,988,180,000 to £3,012,073,000. This increase takes account of this vote's end-year flexibility entitlements and various inter-vote and inter-departmental transfers including the Scottish contribution to the Prescription Pricing Authority's administration costs in connection with the assessment of claims under the Scottish Low Income Scheme and for NHS estate management consultancy; a transfer to cover the cost of services previously funded directly by the Department of Health; and a transfer to reflect a change in responsibility for the unlinked anonymous HIV testing programme. It also includes transfers to fund the Scottish Hospital Advisory Service and publicity in connection with the measles and rubella immunisation campaign; and for the capitalisation costs of pension arrangements entered into 1110W by the Scottish Ambulance Service. In addition there is a revision of NHS trusts' external financing limit and some adjustments between subheads to reflect revised requirements and changes to anticipated appropriations in aid. e. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 17, education, arts and libraries, Scotland will be increased by £434,000 from £918,012,000 to £918,446,000. The increase reflects the full take-up of end-year flexibility for further education capital; an increase in provision for the Scottish mining Museum: and a transfer for the Student Awards Agency for Scotland, in respect of additional costs. This increase is partially offset by a transfers to OST as part of a national contribution towards a "Supercomputing: Class Three Time" project; and one in respect of prosthetic student fees. f. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 21, Scottish Office Administration, will be increased by £470,000 from £168,264,000 to £168,734,000. Within this total, running cost provision increases by £459,000 arising from take-up of end-year flexibility predominantly to fund staff early departure costs, less inter-vote transfers. The capital provision reduction arises from a take-up of end-year flexibility less inter-vote transfers. Current provision increases to reflect a transfer from the Department of National Heritage, class XI, vote 6. g. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 22, Scottish Record Office, will be increased by £1,513,000 from £7,514,000 to £9,027,000. Within this total, running cost provision increases by £438,000, £231,000 of which results from a take-up of end-year flexibility which will reduce the backlog of building maintenance and an infra-vote transfer of £207,000. The capital increase results from a take-up of end-year flexibility and a transfer from Scottish Office Administration which will offset new repository building costs arising in 1994–95 from earlier slippage. h. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 23, will be increased by £544,000 from £5,450,000 to £5,994,000. The running cost provision increases by £307,000 due to take-up of end-year flexibility, necessary to continue to meet operational requirements. Capital end-year flexibility will enhance the continued development of the management information systems. i. The non-voted cash limit SO/LA1, which covers non-housing capital expenditure by local authorities, is to be increased by £12,004,000 from £610,212,000 to £622,216,000. This reflects full take-up of end-year flexibility together with a transfer from residential accommodation to secure accommodation within class XVI, vote 12. j. The non-voted cash limit SO/LA2 which covers housing capital expenditure by local authorities and capital expenditure by New Towns will be increased by £13,215,000 from £262,992,000 to £276,207,000. The increase reflects the full take-up of end-year flexibility entitlement. k. The overall running cost limit for the Scottish Office together with its Agencies will be increased by £5,212,000 from £330,676,000 to £335,890,000. This results from take-up of end-year flexibility, increased cost provision arising from increased income by Historic Scotland less a reduction for Common Police Services within vote 12. In addition this running cost limit of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland in its first year is £2,699,000.

The increases will be offset by savings on other votes within my responsibility, transfers from other departments 1111W or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.