§ Ms LawrenceTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the Inland Revenue Departmental Expenditure Limit for 1999–2000. [87027]
§ Dawn PrimaroloThere are no plans to change the overall Departmental Expenditure Limit of the Inland Revenue. However, subject to Parliamentary approval of 409W the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class XVI, Vote 4, the Voted element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit will be increased by £46,319,000 from £1,836,316,000 to £1,882,635,000 to reflect the costs of administering working families tax credits and disabled persons tax credits from October 1999. The increase will be offset by a matching reduction in the non-voted element from £34,910,000 to -£11,409,000 reflecting the take-up of retained provision.
The Supplementary Estimate is subject to the passage of the Tax Credits Bill which has been laid before Parliament. The provision will not be used until the enabling legislation has been enacted or, in the event of the legislation not passing into law, further authority has been obtained from Parliament.