HC Deb 11 February 1999 vol 325 cc362-3W
Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proposals there are to change the 1998–99 cash limit for the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioners; and for what underlying reasons. [71328]

Mr. Kilfoyle

The total cash limit for the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioners on Class XVIII Vote 4 will be reduced by £2,101,000 falling from £15,101,000 to £13,000,000.

At the time Supply Estimates for 1998–99 were submitted, the Office was planning to procure its second generation computer system and Funds were sought for this. Detailed preliminary discussions have meant that a contract is not likely to be signed before early in 1999–2000, and the bulk of the expenditure will now therefore be incurred in that and the following year. This expenditure can be funded within existing provision in both years. The unused funds will be surrendered through a reduction in the cash limit for 1998–99.

The changes will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proposals he has to change the 1998–99 cash limit or running costs limit for the Cabinet Office: Administration and Cabinet Office: Other Services Votes. [71329]

Dr. Jack Cunningham

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary EstimatesThe cash limit for Cabinet Office: administration (Class XVII, Vote 1) will be decreased by £760,000 from £154,056,000 to £153,296,000 and the running costs limit has been decreased by £3,759,000 from £62,903,000 to £59,144,000. The cash limit for Cabinet Office: other services (Class XVIII, Vote 1) will be increased by £105,000 from £49,356,000 to £49,461,000 and the running cost limit has been increased by £484,000 from £48,639,000 to £49,123,000.

This is mainly to take account of the following.

Changes to the Ambit and Appropriation in Aids statement: The Cabinet Office has responsibility for the Royal Commission on the House of Lords Reform and the Public Confidence Programme work of Action 2000. Amendments have been made to the appropriations in aid description to reflect new guidance concerning the treatment of VAT refunds on contracted out services.

Machinery of Government: The Cabinet Office has taken over responsibility for the Women's Unit and Women's National Commission from the Department of Social Security (Class XII, Vote 3) (£1,900,000).

Transfer payment: A transfer payment has been made to the Privy Council (Class XVIII, Vote 3) (£87,000) and to the Department of Trade and Industry (Class V, Vote 1) (£34,000) to provide for minor occupier charges. An intra Vote transfer from Cabinet Office: administration to Cabinet Office: other services has taken place in respect of shared central services (£226,000). Provision for ownership of Pithay in Bristol has transferred from the Property Advisors to the Civil Estate to the Employment Service (Class IX, Vote 3) for ownership of the Pithay in Bristol (07,000) and for occupation by the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner and Health Service Commissioners (Class XIII, Vote 4) of Millbank Tower in London (£457,000).

The increases will be offset by transfers. Thus, they will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.