§ Mr. AshdownTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the real terms increase in budgeted expenditure between 1996–97 and 2000–01 for(a) the Home Office, (b) the Chancellor of the Exchequer's departments, (c) the Foreign Office, (d) Scotland Office, (e) Wales Office, (f) the Department of Social Security, (g) the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, (h) overseas aid spending,(i) Department of Health, (j) Department of Education and Employment, (k) Lord Chancellor's Department, (l) No. 10 Downing street, (m) Cabinet Office, (n) the Ministry of Defence, (o) the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, (p) the Department of Trade and Industry,(q) the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and(r) Northern Ireland; and if he will rank these from highest to lowest increases. [122240]
§ Mr. Andrew Smith[holding answer 16 May 2000]: Real terms increases in Departmental Expenditure Limit spending between outturn for 1996–97 and plans for 2000–01 for these areas are set out in the following table, ranked from the highest to lowest increases. Data are taken from "Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses", published in April.
1010W
£ million Department/Junction Real terms increase 1996–97 to 2000–011 (i) Department of Health 7,121 (j) Department for Education and Employment 2,402 (a) Home Office 886 (o) Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions 569 (e) Wales 468 (b) Chancellor's departments2 439 (h) Overseas aid spending3 400 (d) Scotland 286 (r) Northern Ireland 255 (q) Department of Culture, Media and Sport -46 (p) Department of Trade and Industry -48 (c) Foreign and Commonwealth Office -53 (k) Lord Chancellor's Department -54 (m) Cabinet Office4 -229 (f) Department of Social Security -549 in) Ministry of Defence -927 (g) Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food2 -1,148 1 1998–99 prices 2 Changes and transfers of responsibility over the period mean that figures should be interpreted with care. For example, MAFF spending was exceptionally high in 1996–97 because of spending on BSE-related measures which are now unwinding; Chancellor's department figures are affected by machinery of government changes (principally the transfer of responsibility for the Contributions Agency from DSS) offset by reductions elsewhere 31ncludes all DFID Departmental Expenditure X Limit programme spending 4 For budgeting purposes 10 Downing street is treated as part of the Cabinet Office