§ Mr. Matthew BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what changes she proposes to her Department's cash limits and running cost limits for 1996–97. [14321]
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleySubject to the parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class X, vote 1 will be increased by £2,412,000 from £962,867,000 to £965,279,000 and running costs limit increased by £12,000 from £29,477,000 to £29,489,000. This is to provide additional appropriations in aid for receipts from admission fees for Windsor castle offset by an increase in the grant in aid to the royal household; to provide funds from the public buildings and monuments' capital budget for the refurbishment work by English Heritage on the Albert memorial; to provide additional appropriations in aid for the Historic Royal Palaces agency matched by increases in gross expenditure; to provide for an increase in gross running costs expenditure arising from the transfer of responsibility for voluntary services from the Home Office; to provide for a reduction in the Department's capital expenditure; to provide cover for final payments to local authority capital projects assisted under completed European regional development fund initiatives as a result of a shortfall in receipts from the EU; and to provide for the use of proceeds from the disposal by the Women's Royal Voluntary Service of properties held for the Crown to facilitate the move of its headquarters offices from Brixton to Abington. The increases will be offset by transfers, savings and charges to the reserve, and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.