§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for changes to the 1996–97 cash limits within his responsibilities. [14202]
§ Mr. HowardSubject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class VII, vote 1—Home Office administration, police, probation, immigration and other services. England and Wales—will be increased by £10,395,000 from £4,599,693,000 to £4,610,088,000. This increase is the net effect of the partial take-up of running costs end-year flexibility of £10,395,000, as announced by the Chief Secretary, 12 July 1996,Official Report, columns 326–31, transfer of running costs to the Department of National Heritage, transfers to the Scottish Office, Welsh Office, Northern Ireland Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Customs and Excise and Cabinet Office central drug co-ordination unit, transfer from non-voted probation credit approvals. This transfer from non-voted provision reduces the non-voted cash limit—HO/LACAP—by £180,000 from £97,892,000 to £97,712,000.
In consequence of the above changes, the Home Office gross running cost limit will be increased by £10,383,000 from £1,813,815,000 to £1,824,198,000.
The increases will be offset by savings, transfers or charges to the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.