§ Sir David MadelTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made in the 1995–96 cash and running cost limits for expenditure by the Overseas Development Administration. [13719]
§ Mr. HanleySubject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit on the external assistance vote, class II, vote 5, will be increased by £10,390,000 from £1,764,277,000 to £1,774,667,000 and the ODA running cost limit will be increased by £400,000 from £73,993;000 to £74,393,000. The increase is in respect of: a balance of underspending against European Community budgetary aid for central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union in 1993 and overspending for developing countries in 1994; an increase of £400,000 for ODA running costs in respect of a partial take up of end of year flexibility entitlements announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 July 1995,Official Report, columns 776–82; an increase of £78,000 for expected costs for the Crown Agents privatisation programme; and an inward PES 854W transfer of £300,000 from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office diplomatic wing in respect of the know-how fund. The increase will be offset by a transfer and a claim on the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.