HC Deb 15 February 2001 vol 363 cc310-1W
Mr. Pickthall

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals there are to amend the Departmental Expenditure Limits and Running Costs Limits for the Northern Ireland Office expenditure and the Northern Ireland Executive for 2000–01. [151005]

Dr. Reid

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class XV, Vote 1 the Northern Ireland Office Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–2001 will be increased by £16,667,000 from £1,121,564,000 to £1,138,231,000. The running costs limit will be increased by £12,147,000 from £264,861,000 to £277,008.000.

The increase reflects is the take-up of end year flexibility of £20,407,000 (£9,340,000 running costs, £10,263,000 other current and £804,000 capital), an increase of £140,000 in respect of Housing Benefit for occupants of bail hostels, £215,000 from the civil service modernisation fund, £610,000 from the capital modernisation fund, net transfers of £4,702,000 to the Northern Ireland Executive and a transfer of £3,000 to the Home Office (Class (IV, Vote 1).

The Departmental Expenditure Limit for the Northern Ireland Executive 2000–01 will be increased by £172,993,000 from £5,199,903,000 to £5,372,896,000. The increases reflect:

  • The take up of end-year flexibility of £147,554,000;
  • £166,000 allocated in the pre-Budget report for e-learning;
  • Additional provision of £5,556,000 allocated in the pre-Budget report for Schools;
  • £8,826,000 for support to the farming industry;
  • £66,000 as part of the recently announced package to improve flood defences;
  • £916,000 from the invest to save budget;
  • £6,500,000 to enable a programme of welfare reform to be undertaken;
    • 311W
  • net transfers of £4,702,000 from the NIO;
  • transfer of £10,000 to DETR;
  • transfer of £1,392,000 to the Department of Health;
  • transfer of £99,000 from the Department of Social Security;
  • transfer of £266,000 from the Department of Trade and Industry for the Pheonix fund;
  • additional funding of £229,000 for the Pheonix fund;
  • transfer of £39,000 to the Inland Revenue;
  • transfers of £193,000 to MAFF;
  • transfer of £252,000 to the Scottish Executive; and
  • transfer of £1,000 to the National Assembly for Wales.

The Northern Ireland Executive's welfare to work provision increases by £1,753,000 from £74,846,000 to £76,599,000.

These increases will be offset by a charge on the Departmental Expenditure Limit reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.