§ Mr. TimmsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what information is collated centrally on(a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) her Department and (ii) agencies accountable to her Department. [5080]
§ Mr. Sproat[holding answer 20 November 1996]The Government response to the Treasury Committee report on the private finance initiative agreed the importance of collecting and monitoring information on future spending commitments arising from contracts under the private finance initiative. Such information is now being collected twice yearly, in April and October. A joint review of the position by the Treasury and the Department is triggered if these commitments in total exceed 15 per cent. of the Department's discretionary expenditure. The response stated that aggregate projections of the level of expenditure that is anticipated to arise from signed contracts under the initiative would be published n the 1997–98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report".