HC Deb 20 November 2003 vol 413 c1282W
Mr. Paterson

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the costs of running his Office between May 2002 and May 2003; and what forecast he has made for the year from May 2003. [139064]

Yvette Cooper

I refer the hon. Member to the "Public Expenditure 2002–03 Provisional Outturn White Paper" (HM Treasury, July 2003)(Cm 5884) which shows outturn of £336.831 million against an administration costs limit of £350.724 million for 2002–03. The "Central Government Supply Estimates 2003–04—Main Supply Estimates" (HM Treasury, 6 May 2003) (HC 648) show an administration costs limit for 2003–04 of £367.110 million, which includes non-cash charges not previously covered by the administration costs limit and which would account for more than half of the increase over the 2002–03 figure.