§ Mr. Peter BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes he proposes to make in his Department's cash limits and running costs limits for 1998–99. [71250]
§ Mr. FatchettSubject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates the following changes will be made.
The cash limit for Class II, Vote 1 (Overseas Representation) will be decreased by £10,541,000 from £588,004,000 to £577,463,000. This reduction takes account of negative Overseas Price Movements of £10,500,000. There have also been two transfers from this vote: a transfer of £97,000 to the Department of Transport (Class VI Vote 7) for the provision of Marine survey and certification services in the Dependent Territories and a transfer of £140,000 to Class II, Vote 3 to cover a shortfall in funding for the subscription to the BBC World Service Monitoring Service. These have been partially offset by three transfers in: £45,000 from the Cabinet Office (Class XVIII Vote 2), £125,000 from the DTI (Class VI Vote 1) to fund the Invest in Britain Bureau in Hong Kong and £25,000 from the Home Office (Class VII Vote 1) to fund the UK Special Drugs Representative. A token Supplementary of £1,000 has also been taken to increase expenditure and receipts.
The gross running costs limit on Class II Vote 1 will be increased by £2,059,000 from £510,535,000 to £512,594,000. This increase has been fully offset by increased appropriations in aid.
The cash limit for Class II, Vote 2 (Other External Relations) will be increased by £29,951,000 from £235,660,000 to £265,611,000. The increase is required to cover UK contributions to certain OSCE, United Nations, and WEU Missions of £31,781,000. There are also transfers in of £100,000 from the Ministry of Defence (Class I Vote 1) in respect of their contribution to the Atlantic Council of the UK and £570,000 from the Home Office (Class VII Vote 1) towards certain overseas drug assistance programmes. These increases are partially offset by a reduction of £2,500,000 because of negative Overseas Price Movements.
The cash limit for Class II, Vote 3 has been increased by £2,140,000 from £167,836,000 to £169,976,000. This increase consists of £2,000,000 take up of capital end year flexibility as announced by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1998, Official Report, columns 131–36, and a transfer of £140,000 from Class II, Vote 1, as detailed above.
The cash limit for Class II, Vote 4 has been reduced by £349,000 from £97,448,000 to £97,099,000 because of negative Overseas Price Movements of £349,000.
The increases will be offset by transfers or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.