§ Mr. Derek TwiggTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the cash and running costs limits for Her Majesty's Treasury in 1998–99. [47550]
§ Mr. DarlingSubject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary summer Supplementary Estimate, the running costs limit for Class XVI, Vote 1 will be increased by £6,400,000 from £59,930,000 to £66,330,000 and the cash limit will be increased by £6,400,000 from £56,665,000 to £63,065,000. The increase will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
The increases are necessary to provide for the costs of a new service providing information to business about the introduction of the euro in January 1999 and will be offset by foregoing the equivalent amount of unused end year flexibility carryover.
Pending Parliamentary approval of the Supplementary Estimate, urgent expenditure estimated at £1,400,000 will be met by a repayable advance from the Contingencies Fund.