Departmental Expenditure Limits (Hansard, 13 February 2002)

§ Dr. John Reid

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Northern Ireland Office DEL will be increased by £36,363,000 from £1,078,374,000 to £1,114,737,000 and the gross administration costs limits will be increased by £21,336,000 from £138,069,000 to £159,405,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:

	£
Resources
Change	31,973
New DEL	1,056,836
of which:
Voted	1,056,836
Non-voted	0
Capital
Change	4,390
New DEL	57,901
of which:
Voted	57,901
Non-voted	0

The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from: The DEL shown in the Main Estimate was overstated by £4,947,000; the take up of End Year Flexibility of £28,818,000 of which £16,896,000 relates to administration costs which cover prison officer redundancy payments, increased costs associated with 358W elections in Northern Ireland, the Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Political Talks and Forensic Science Northern Ireland; the take up of Departmental Unallocated Provision of £9,767,000; net transfer £1,148,000 to the Northern Ireland Executive; net transfer of £2,217,000 to UK Departments which covers £2,200,000 to the Court Service for transferred functions, £213,000 to the Home Office for Criminal Cases Review Commission and £4,000 for our contribution to the Group European States Against Corruption, £33,000 to the Cabinet Office for fast streamers and £233,000 from Home Office Legal Advisers Branch; a virement of £1,700,000 to current from capital.

The change in the capital element of the DEL arises from: the take up of End Year Flexibility of £5,014,000; the take up of Departmental Unallocated Provision of £576,000; increase of £500,000 from Capital Modernisation Fund; a virement of £1,700,000 from capital to current.

The increases will be offset by inter-departmental transfers charged to the DEL Reserve and will not therefore added to the planned total of public expenditure.

The Departmental Expenditure Limit for the Northern Ireland Executive in 2001–02 will be increased by £244,287,000 from £5,758,005,000 to £6,002,283,000. The increases reflect: the take up of End Year Flexibility of £234,842,000; £4,426,000 in respect of the Capital Modernisation Fund; £4,278,000 in respect of Agri-Monetary Compensation; £1,893,000 for costs incurred in dealing with foot and mouth disease—of which £1,000,000 is in respect of Business Rate Relief, £398,000 Assistance for Rural Businesses and £495,000 for Charitable Match Funding; £164,000 for the Evidence Based Policy Fund; transfer of £50,000 from the Department for Work and Pensions; net transfer of £1,148,000 from the NIO; transfer of £2,130,000 to Department of Health; transfers of £284,000 to the Scottish Executive; transfer of £18,000 to the National Assembly for Wales; transfer of £25,000 to the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency; transfer of £59,000 to the Inland Revenue; transfer of £7,000 to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The increases will be offset by a Charge on the Department Expenditure Limit Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of Public expenditure