HC Deb 20 July 2004 vol 424 cc190-1W
Sir Patrick Cormack

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Statement of 12 July 2004,Official Report, column 1131, on Spending Review, if he will list the £30 billion worth of asset sales included in the objective; and when he expects the sales to be completed. [184867]

Mr. Boateng

The £30 billion objective for asset sales covers the period to 2010 and relates to the public sector as a whole. While decisions on specific asset disposals are for individual Government Departments and local authorities, these decisions will he it formed by the work that Chancellor has commissioned from Sir Michael Lyons.

Mr. Letwin

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the differences between planned administration expenditure by department in Table 2.3 of the 2004 Spending Review Report and Table 5.1 of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2004. [184706]

Mr. Boateng

The administration budgets in table 2.3 of the 2004 Spending Review are net of all income departments generate through their administrative expenditure. The figures in Table 5.1 of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2004 are only net of the element of this income that forms part of other departments' administration costs.

Figures published in the Spending Review take account of reclassifications implemented in line with the recommendation of made by Sir Peter Gershon.