HC Deb 03 February 1995 vol 253 c916W
Mrs. Lait

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on cash and running cost limits for the Northern Ireland Office, Northern Ireland departmental services, the independent living fund and certain national agricultural schemes for 1994–95.

Sir John Wheeler

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, it is proposed that the cash limit for class XVI, vote 1—the Northern Ireland Office—will be increased by £1,580,000 from £927,325,000 to £928,905,000.

The cash limit which covers Northern Ireland departmental services will be increased by £23,360,000 from £3,812,842,000 to £3,836,202,000. This increase reflects the take-up of entitlement to end-year flexibility on capital and departmental running costs and other technical changes.

The cash limit for the independent living fund will decrease by £1,554,000 to reflect a reduction in provision earlier in the year.

The cash limit covering national agricultural capital grant schemes and certain assistance for production, marketing and processing and the fishing industry will decrease by £486,000 from £10,515,000 to £10,029,000 mainly as a result of technical changes.

The combined gross running cost for the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments will be increased by £18,476,000 from £787,031,000 to £805,507,000. This reflects the take-up of £13,324,000 of end—year flexibility entitlement announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1994, Official Report, columns 730–34, and an increase of £5,152,000 from the Department of Social Security, in respect of agency services. Of the revised gross running cost provision, £177,699,000 is for the NIO and £627,808,000 is for NI Departments.

These changes will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.