HC Deb 04 November 1996 vol 284 c360W
Mr. Matthew Banks

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the cash limit and running costs limit for the Office for National Statistics for 1996–97. [2549]

Mrs. Angela Knight

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVI, vote 12—Office for National Statistics—will be increased by £7,561,000 from £105,039,000 to £112,600,000 and the running costs limit will be increased by £7,100,000 from £99,839,000 to £106,939,000. This reflectsthe take-up of £5,453,000 for running costs and £1,254,000 for capital costs under the end year flexibility arrangements announced by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 12 July 1996, Official Report, columns 326–31. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not add to the planned total of public expenditure; increased running costs provision of £1,216,000 and capital cost provision of £74,000 for the processing and production of statistics relating to the general practitioners' research database; most of the increase will be met by the Department of Health from within its existing resources; the remainder will come from various other customers. The payments will be taken in as increased appropriations in aid; increased capital costs of £2,565,000 for the refurbishment of Drummond gate, Pimlico. £600,000 will be funded from the Treasury's own end year flexibility entitlement, and the remaining costs will be met by the Metropolitan police and taken in as increased appropriations in aid; increased running costs provision of £177,000 and capital costs of £123,000 for the national health service tracing services project, and further capital costs of £650,000 for the Department of Health's existing number replacement project. The increases will be met by the Department of Health from within its existing resources and taken in as increased appropriations in aid; increases in running costs provision of £5,000 from the Security Facilities Agency for security advice, £67,000 from the Department of Health for legal services, £90,000 from the Department for Education and Employment for the labour market statistics and £92,000 from the Department of Transport for balance of payments work. All these will be met from existing resources.

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