HC Deb 05 November 1999 vol 337 cc363-4W
Mr. Alan Campbell

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proposals there are to change the 1999–2000 Departmental Expenditure Limit or running costs limits for the Cabinet Office. [97833]

Marjorie Mowlam

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) for the Cabinet office will be increased by £16,881,000 from £301,820,000 to £318,701,000 and the running costs limit has been increased by £5,122,000 to £115,018,000.

The increase is mainly to take account of the following:

  1. (a) A transfer payment has been received from the Privy Council (Class XVII, Vote 5) (£480,000) for responsibility of Lord Privy Seal and from the Department of Social Security (Class XII, Vote 3) (£1,670,000) to provide for the Women's Unit and Women's National 364 Commission. Provision for ownership of properties (£2,729,000) has transferred from the Property Advisers to the Civil Estate to Department for Education and Employment (Class I, Vote 1 and Class I, Vote 3).
  2. (b) The Cabinet Office has taken end year flexibility (£12,000,000) as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 27 July 1999, Official Report, column 393, and remaining Departmental Unallocated provision (£340,000). This is to meet increased anticipated spend on disposing of the vacant Civil Estate and modernisation of government programme, including E-Envoy and Central Internet Strategy Unit.
  3. (c) Increased provision (£5,000,000) for the autumn campaign raising awareness about Year 2000 millennium bug.
  4. (d) Unanticipated expenditure (£120,000) in connection with NATO alliance in Kosovo.

The increase will be offset by transfer or charged to the DEL Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.