HC Deb 05 June 1996 vol 278 cc455-6W
Mr. Dunn

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes will be made to his Department's cash and running costs limits for 1996–97. [31801]

Mr. Lang

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate, the cash limit for class IV, vote 1—programmes and administration—will be reduced by £8,416,000 from £1,310,071,000 to £1,301,655,000. This net reduction results from:

  1. (i) the transfer on to the vote of the external financing limit of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (-£5,600,000);
  2. (ii) a reduction of expenditure on both international subscriptions (-£2,461,000) and consultancy (-£210,000) the sum of which will be used to find a non-voted increase in the external financing limit of Companies House; and
  3. (iii) the transfer of responsibility for Southampton buildings to the Department of National Heritage (-£145,000).

Within this total, the gross running cost limit for the Department of Trade and Industry is being increased by £4,800,000 from £3,359,237,000 to £364,037,000. This change comprises:

  1. (i) an adjustment in Insolvency Service fee income required for accounting purposes (£5,000,000);

offset by transfers of provision to:

  1. (ii) the Department of National Heritage (£145,000); and
  2. (iii) the non-cash-limit agency and central services area of the vote (£55,000).

On a net basis, the Insolvency Service adjustment sums to zero as a fully compensating increase in receipts is also required.

Additionally, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IV, vote 12—Office of Gas Supply—will be increased by £2,000,000 from £5,743,000 to £7,743,000 and the running costs limit by £825,000 from £7,627,000 to £8,452,000.

The requirement for an increase results from the necessary costs associated with introduction of domestic competition and the transfer of the gas measurement branch from class IV, vote 1. This will involve expenditure on consultancy and staff related costs together with urgent expenditure on accommodation to comply with health and safety requirements.

The increase will be offset by savings or charged to the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.