§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Prime Minister when he expects parliamentary approval to be sought for the estimate relating to official royal travel by rail and air. [9904]
§ The Prime MinisterThe new grant-in-aid for royal travel will be payable from 1 April 1997 and will be administered by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. Pending approval of the main estimates for 1997–98, authority for payment will rest on the vote on account for 1997–98 and the winter supplementary estimate for class V, vote 3, both of which have already been approved by Parliament. Specific provision for royal travel is planned to be made in the main estimates for the Department of Transport's votes. Main estimates are normally laid before Parliament shortly before the financial year to which they relate.