§ Mr. PickthallTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals he has to change the 1997–98 cash limit or running cost limit for the Office of Public Service. [14158]
§ Dr. David ClarkSubject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for the Office of Public Service (Class XVII, Vote 1) will be increased by £17,760,000 from £141,061,000 to £158,821,000 and the gross running cost limit will be decreased by £52,000 from £80,475,000 to £80,423,000.
The changes reflect the take up of end-year flexibility of £9,000,000 under the end-year flexibility scheme announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 17 July 1997, Official Report, columns 245–250; an increase of £10,000,000 for gross provisions for opportunity cost rents; and transfers to the Department of Trade and Industry (Class IV, Vote 1) £300,000 and the Employment Service (Class IX, Vote 3) £940,000.
The increase will be offset by transfers or charge to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.