§ Lord Milner of Leedsasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there are any proposals to amend the Lord Chancellor's Department Departmental Expenditure Limit and running costs limit for 1999–2000. [HL4636]
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg)Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class V, Vote 1, the Lord Chancellor's Department Departmental Expenditure Limit for 1999–2000 will be increased by £100,000 from £2,421,144,000 to £2,421,244,000. The increase is the effect of a transfer of £100,000 from the Home Office, relating to legal aid costs in respect of reducing volatile substance abuse—gas lighter refills.
The running costs limit for the Lord Chancellor's Department will be increased by £5,386,000 from £496,817,000 to £502,203,000. The increase is in respect of funding for PFI projects in the civil courts and tribunals. This overall increase includes a reduction of £667,000 to gross running costs, with a matching reduction to running costs receipts in respect of a penalty for the running cost breach which occurred in 1998–99.
The increases will be offset by a transfer from the Home Office Departmental Expenditure Limit, as well as receipts arising from asset disposals and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.