HC Deb 09 November 2000 vol 356 c365W
Mr. Jon Owen Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals there are to amend his Department's Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01. [138051]

Mr. Paul Murphy

The Wales Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £114,572,000 from £7,693,663,000 to £7,808,235,000. The increase is a result of:

  1. (i) the take up of end-year flexibility entitlement of £94,895,000;
  2. (ii) net transfers to other government Departments of £252,000;
  3. (iii) additional support of £15,309,000 for Hill Farmers and agriculture resulting from the Agriculture Minister's statement of 30 March 2000; and,
  4. (iv) a final allocation from the Capital Modernisation Fund of £4,620,000.

The increase includes the following transfers:

  1. (i) £1,100,000 to Class III, Vote 1 for cattle herd registration;
  2. (ii) £1,068,000 from Class I, Vote 1 for mature student bursaries;
  3. (iii) £150,000 from Class IV, Vote 1 for locks for pensioners;
  4. (iv) £536,000 to Class IX, Vote 1 for Sector Challenge; and,
  5. (v) £166,000 from Class IV, Vote 1 for Crime Prevention.

The balance will be met by a charge on the Departmental Expenditure Limit Reserve for the take-up of end-year flexibility entitlement and the additional agriculture provision. The Capital Modernisation Fund monies will be met from the central CMF budget. None of these changes will therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.