§ Mr. McWalterTo ask the Solicitor-General what proposals there are to change the 1999–2000 Departmental Expenditure Limit and running costs limits for the work of the HM Procurator General and Treasury Solicitor. [97787]
The Solicitor-GeneralSubject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class V, Vote 6, the Departmental Expenditure Limit will332W increase by a net £264,000 from £7,175,000 to £7,439,000 whilst the Department's running cost limit will increase by £28,000 from £4,707,000 to £4,735,000.
The increase in Departmental Expenditure Limit is partially due to an increase in capital expenditure (£236,000) which will be used to continue the expansion of IT systems within the Department. This will be met from end year flexibility provision as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 27 July 1999, Official Report, column 393. A further increase in the Departmental Expenditure Limit (£28,000), which also increases the running cost limit, is due to additional costs associated with the extension of the Attorney-General's powers in referring unduly lenient sentences which fall on this vote. This will be offset by a transfer from the Home Office (Class IV, Vote 1).
All this increase is offset by a transfer and not charged to the Reserve, it will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.