HC Deb 23 June 1998 vol 314 c491W
Ms Southworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes will be made to the cash limits of his Department in 1998–99. [47439]

Mr. Dobson

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the cash limit for Class XI, Vote 1 (Hospital, community health, family health and related services, England) will be increased by £6,600,000 (from £31,385,613,000 to £31,392,213,000). This allows for a transfer of £6,600,000 from Class IX, Vote 1 (Department for Education and Employment: programmes and central services) to reflect the initial transfer of funding responsibilities for students in health care professions.

The cash limit for Class XI, Vote 2 (Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health and personal social services, England) will be reduced by £1,130,000 (£75,000 running costs), from £1,097,507,000 to £1,096,377,000. This reduction allows for the transfer of responsibility for childcare and early years policy to Class IX, Vote 1 (Department for Education and Employment: programmes and central services) as announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 27 March 1998, Official Report, column 296.

The Department's gross running cost limit will be increased by £4,425,000 from £258,490,000 to £262,915,000 for additional work being carried out by the National Health Service Pensions Agency on missold pensions (£4,500,000) less part of the transfer mentioned above.

All increases will be offset by savings, increased receipts or transfers to or from other Votes and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.