HC Deb 27 February 2001 vol 363 cc593-4W
Mr. Pound

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans she has to change the 2000–01 departmental expenditure limit or running costs limit for the Cabinet Office. [151199]

Mr. Ian McCartney

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates:

The Departmental Expenditure Limit for Cabinet Office (Class XVII. Vote 1, Vote 3, Vote 4) will be increased by £1,290,000 from £260,259,000 to £261,549,000 and the gross running costs limit will be increased by £6,440,000 from £113,754,000 to £120,194,000.

This is mainly to take account of the following changes:

(a) A transfer payment from Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Class x, Vote 2) (£470,000) for digital certificates; a payment from Home Office (Class IV, Vote 1) (£559,000) for the News Co-ordination Centre and associated contingency arrangements; a payment from Ministry of Defence (Class VI, Vote 1) (£4,000) and Foreign Office (Class VII, Vote 1) (£52,000) for BBC monitoring service; and a payment to Privy Council Office (Class XVII, Vote 5) (£20,000) towards 2 Carlton Gardens.

(b) In addition to these changes additional income from the Confiscated Assets Fund towards the cost of setting a Unit to assist with anti-drugs co-ordination internationally (£225,000).

The increase will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.