§ Lord Hardy of Wathasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there are any proposals to amend the Food Standards Agency departmental expenditure limit (DEL) and administration costs limit for 2001–02. [HL1694]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the overall resource departmental expenditure limit for 2001–02 will be increased by £10,911,000 (of which £4,274,000 is administrations costs) from £111,243,000 to £122,154,000.
The increase is the net effect of the addition of the FSA's end year flexibility (EYF) entitlement. Delays in appointing external board members meant that the overall FSA strategy, and hence certain projects, were also delayed. This amounts to £6,637,000 programme and £2,867,000 administration costs. Additionally, transfers from Scotland (£783,000) and Wales (£609,000) are needed to cover the estimated fall in Meat Hygiene Service income in these countries resulting from the revised charging methodology recommended in the Maclean report. A transfer of £15,000 administration costs from the Department of Health is needed as contribution towards the cost of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. 71WA Finally, the FSA's EYF capital entitlement needs to be incorporated. The move of the FSA to a new office in central London was later than anticipated, caused by building delays. This has resulted in the need to incorporate £433,000 EYF capital expenditure.
As a result of these changes, the gross administration cost limit for the FSA has increased by £4,274,000 from £48,908,000 to £53,182,000.