HC Deb 01 November 1996 vol 284 cc278-9W
Mr. Matthew Banks

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the cash and running costs limits for 1996–97 for the national investments and loans office. [2379]

Mrs. Angela Knight

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVI, vote 10 will be increased by a token amount to £341,000. Following a machinery of Government change in preparation for the privatisation of the Paymaster Agency, a small residuary body, to be known as the Office of HM Paymaster General—0PG—will remain in the public sector to perform the non-divestible functions. This token supplementary is required to allow for the transfer of OPG' s functions from class XVI, vote II to NILO. The running costs limit will be increased by £104,000 to £1,366,000 with a corresponding reduction in the provision for class XVI, vote 11. The increase will be offset by savings or charged to the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.