§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 4 December,Official Report, column 90, what he expects the £200 million DSS administrative costs which have been reclassified as running costs from other current expenditure in 1996–97 will be spent on; and for what reasons it has proved necessary to reclassify this. [9809]
572W
§ Mr. BurtThe reclassification of £200 million DSS administrative costs from other current expenditure to running costs represents a reversal of an earlier, incorrect reclassification. This arose from uncertainties about the vote impact of outsourcing proposals in respect of the Information Technology Services Agency. It returns DSS running costs provision to the level agreed in the public expenditure survey. Details of how this provision will be applied will be provided in the forthcoming social security departmental report "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1996–97 to 1998–99".