HC Deb 09 November 2000 vol 356 cc388-9W
Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to amend the Forestry Commission's Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01. [138192]

Mr. Morley

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class X, Vote 3 (Forestry Commission) the Forestry Commission's Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £18,040,000 from £58,025,000 to £76,065,000 £12,600,000 of the increase is the net effect of a fall in receipts from sales of timber offset by savings in other net expenditure, and a further £740,000 has been awarded from the Civil Service Modernisation Fund. These increases totalling £13,340,000 will be a a charge on the Departmental Expenditure Limit Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

An award of £4,700,000 from the Capital Modernisation fund brings the total additional requirement to £18,040,000.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes are proposed to the Departmental Expenditure Limit for his Department for 2000–01. [138191]

Mr. Nick Brown

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) will be increased by £205,550,000 from £1,157,390,000 to £1,362,859,000.

The increase is the net effect of an Intervention Board (IB) increase of £5.393 million arising from delayed costs associated with IT systems and services, the introduction of facilities to UK traders across certain schemes to receive payment in euros in line with the ministerial statement of November 1998 and increased levels of charges paid to agents; and MAFF increases of £54.3 million to implement the Action Plan for Farming; £2.669 million for successful projects under Modernising Government initiatives; £30 million in lieu of End-Year Flexibility (EYF); transfers from the Scotland Office (SERAD) and the Wales Office (NAWAD) totalling £3 million relating to work on the Cattle Herd Registration Scheme; £13 million for implementing the Agenda 2000 reforms; and £9.735 million to repay advances from the Contingencies Fund and a further £90.309 million provision in respect of payments in 1999–2000 and 2000–01 arising out of the Factortame Judgment. These increases are offset by transfers to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) totalling £2.856 million, being their share of MAFF's EYF and funding for work transferred to the Agency following its formation in April 2000.

Within the DEL there will be a transfer of £14 million from MAFF to IB to cover the costs of the Pig Welfare (Disposal) Scheme.