§ Mr. DunnTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to change his Department's cash limits and running costs limits; and what proposals there are to change the cash limit and running costs limit of the Office of the Rail Regulator for 1995–96. [40881]
§ Sir George YoungSubject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made:
(i) The cash limit for class VI vote 1 (Highways Agency) will be increased by £12,295,000 from £1,863,279,000 to £1,875,574,000. The increase in the cash limit includes the take up of £11,831,000 capital end year flexibility entitlement as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 July 1995 (Official Report columns 776–82) and adjustments in funding relating to the consolidation of the Highways Agency's role between this vote and class VI vote 2 and class VI vote 5. Running costs provision on this vote will increase by £135,000 from £86,889,000 to £87,024,000 reflecting a transfer from class VI vote 2.
(ii) The cash limit for class VI vote 2 (Administration and Transport Services) will be increased by £12,351,000 from £165,054,000 to £177,405,000. The additional provision includes the take up of £776,000 running costs end year flexibility entitlement as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 July 1995 (Official Report columns 776–82); increases in administrative capital expenditure; the transfer of funds to class VI vote 1 for (£135,000) running costs and professional advisers fees; the transfer of funds to class VI vote 8 for various rail consultancies (£1,960,000; and, the transfer of funds from this vote to class VI vote 5 for road safety publicity expenditure.
(iii) The cash limit for class VI vote 5 (Roads and Local Transport) will be increased by £1,608,000 from £513,157,000 to £514,765,000. The increase includes take up of £1,787,000 end year flexibility entitlement as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 July 1995 (Official Report columns 776–82); the transfer of receipts currently paid to the consolidated fund for interest on subordinated debts arising from the Severn Bridge to class VI vote 1; and, various transfers of funds between this vote and class VI vote 1; and, class VI vote 2.
(iv) The cash limit for class VI vote 6 (Department of Transport: Other Transport Agencies) will be increased by £1,660,000 from £80,156,000 to £81,816.000. The increase includes the take up of £1,200,000 running costs end year flexibility entitlement as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 July 1995 (Official Report columns 776–82) for various items of running costs and an increase in administrative capital expenditure.
131W(v) The cash limit for class VI vote 8 (Office of the Rail Regulator) will be increased by £1,822,000 from £8,629,000 to £10,451,000. The increase includes the take up of capital end year flexibility entitlement of £162,000 as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 July 1995 (Official Report column 776–82); a transfer of running costs provision (£1,960,000) from class VI vote 2 to cater for higher than expected expenditure on legal consultancies and the consequential increased levels of VAT receipts (£300,000) that have arisen.
(vi) The Department of Transport Local Authority Capital cash limit has been increased by £6,354,000 from £347,552,000 to £353,906,000. This reflects partial take up of capital end year flexibility entitlement as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 July 1995 (Official Report column 776–82).
(vii) The Department of Transport running costs limit has been increased by £16,000 from £413,448,000 to £413,464,000 and the Office of the Rail Regulator running costs limit has been increased by £1,660,000 from £8,220,000 to £9,880,000.
The overall increases will be offset by transfers or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.