HC Deb 01 February 1996 vol 270 cc903-4W
Sir Wyn Roberts

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes he is proposing to make to the cash limits for his Department and the Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in Wales for the current year. [13543]

Mr. Hague

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limit on class XV, vote 1 will be reduced by £1,799,000 from £24,557,000 to £22,758,000; the cash limit on class XV, vote 2 will be reduced by £4,256,000 from £659,934,000 to £655,678,000; the cash limit on class XV, vote 3 will be increased by £5,500,000 from £561,690,000 to £567,190,000; the cash limit on class XV, vote 5 will be reduced by £2,724,000 from £1,789,920,000 to £1,787,196,000 and the cash limit on class XV, vote 7 will be reduced by £500,000 from £8,746,000 to £8,246,000.

The decrease in the cash limit for vote 1 arises mainly from a transfer of a forecast underspend on cash limited agricultural grants to the resources for demand-led agricultural grants including hill livestock compensatory allowances and compensation payments for the control of animal diseases. The net reduction in the cash limit for vote 2 comprises mainly a transfer of £750,000 from class I, vote 3 for the local initiative fund and a transfer of £5,000,000 to class XV, vote 3.

The cash limit increase on vote 3 relates to a transfer from class XV, vote 7 for Welsh Office administration capital and a transfer from class XV, vote 2 for the central Government roads programme.

The cash limit reduction on vote 5 results mainly from a transfer from cash limited resources within the vote to meet higher than forecast expenditure on demand-led family health services.

The decrease in the cash limit for vote 7 results from fewer than expected tenders being received for school inspections.

None of the proposed changes adds to the overall level of public expenditure.