HL Deb 11 February 1999 vol 597 cc37-8WA
Lord Burlison

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they propose to make changes to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office cash limits and running costs limits for 1998–99. [HL1007]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

Subject 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 I 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 the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1998 (Official Report, cols. 131 to 136) 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.