HC Deb 30 March 1999 vol 328 cc580-1W
Ms Dari Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to change his Department's cash limits for 1998–99. [79771]

Mr. Prescott

The cash limit for Class VI, Vote 4 (local government and regional policy, England) will be reduced by £2,300,000 from £32,294,969,000 to £32,292,669,000. This decrease reflects savings on special grant in support of Private Finance Initiative projects, resulting from delays in starting some projects. It will allow increases of £1,000,000 in the DETR/LGR (local government reorganisation) non-voted cash limit and £1,300,000 in the DETR/LACAP(E) (local authority capital—environment) non-voted cash limit.

The DETR/LGR (local government reorganisation) non-voted cash limit will be increased by £1,000,000 from £127,300,000 to £128,300,000, to meet increased demand for supplementary credit approvals in connection with the commutation of annual loan charges and grants to local authorities on 1 October 1992.

The DETR/LACAP(E) (local authority capital—environment) non-voted cash limit will be increased by £1,300,000 from £928,232,000 to £929,532,000, to provide other capital support for the London Borough of Haringey.

The Housing Action Trusts' external finance limit will be increased by £2,000,000 from £89,000,000 to £91,000,000. Changed spending priorities within the Single Regeneration Budget mean that a proposed transfer from the Housing Action Trusts to the Challenge Fund is no longer necessary.

The DETR/ERDF (European regional development fund) non-voted cash limit will be increased by £26,450,000 from £208,550,000 to £235,000,000, to allow for increased spending resulting from changes in policy to allow payments in advance of receipts.

The DETR/OES (other environmental services) non-voted cash limit will be increased by £12,624,000 from £19,841,000 to £32,465,000 to provide for supplementary credit approvals to local authorities to cover their capital contributions to the Commission for the New Towns under road cost sharing arrangements. The DETR/NT (New Towns) non-voted cash limit will consequently be reduced by £12,624,000 from minus £115,600,000 to minus £128,224,000.