§ Mrs. EllmanTo ask the President of the Council what changes she intends to make to the 1998–99 cash and running cost limits for the Privy Council. [72366]
§ Mrs. BeckettSubject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for Class XVIII, Vote 3 will be increased by £157,000 from £2,887,000 to £3,044,000 and the gross running costs limit will be increased by £157,000 from £2,360,000 to £2,517,000.
The increase in the cash and running cost limits reflects the transfer to the Department of responsibility for minor occupier charges, together with the cost of establishing an office and support for my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood (Mr. Tipping) on his appointment as Parliamentary Secretary, Privy Council Office.
The increase in minor occupier charges will be offset by a transfer of £87,000 from Cabinet Office Class XVIII, Vote 1, and savings elsewhere within Class XVIII; and the remainder will be a charge to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.