§ 22. Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what adjustments have been made to the Northern Ireland Office budget estimates as a consequence of the cessation of violence.
§ Sir John WheelerAs my right hon. and learned Friend announced on 6 December, the outcome for Northern Ireland of the 1994 public expenditure survey 611W reflects a reallocation of some £180 million from the law and order protective and miscellaneous services vote made in the light of the terrorist ceasefires. This figure represents a major reduction in the anticipated resource requirement for criminal damage compensation payments across the survey period, and reduced expenditure on RUC overtime and is a welcome boost which will benefit important economic and social programmes.
Any resumption of terrorist violence will, of course, require a restoration of this reallocated provision.