HL Deb 22 February 2005 vol 669 cc81-2WS

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner): My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Subject to the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Department of Health's element of the departmental expenditure limit (DEL) will be increased by £14,855,000 from £72,298,859,000 to £72,313,714,000 and the administration cost limit will be increased by £23,218,000 from £257,970,000 to £281,188,000. The Food Standards Agency DEL remains unchanged at £152,478,000. The overall DEL including the Food Standards Agency will increase by £14,855,000 from £72,451,337 to £72,466,192. The impact on resource and capital are set out in the following table.

Change Voted New DEL Non-voted Total
£ million £ million £ million £ million
Department of Health
Resource DEL 14.855 69,558.825 -375.409 69,183.416
Capital DEL 0 855.800 2,274.498 3,130.298
Total Department of Health DEL 14.855 70,414.625 1,899.089 72,313.714
Depreciation* 0.019 -510.362 -44.477 -554.839
Total Department of Health spending (after adjustment) 14.874 69,904.263 1,854.612 71,758.875
Food Standards Agency
Resources 0 151.831 0 151.831
Capital 0 0.647 0 0.647
Total Food
Standards Agency DEL 0 152.478 0 152.478
Depreciation* 0 -2.004 0 -2.004
Total Food Standards Agency spending (after adjustment) 0 150.474 0 150.474

* Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since the capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

The change in the DEL arises from net transfers from the Department for Education and Skills of £1,394,000 (£418,000 administration costs) for pension costs, clinical scientists, conferences and the Care Standards Tribunal, offset by funding for children's trusts, children's service teams, costs of the vulnerable adults scheme and a contribution towards the funding of the recommendations of the Richard inquiry. A transfer from the Home Office off £14,691,000 for the pooled drug treatment budget and funding for prison healthcare. A transfer from DHSS Northern Ireland of £523,000 (£10,000 administration costs) for out of area treatments and a contribution to the national screening committee. A transfer to the National Assembly for Wales of £2,229,000 mainly for cross-border flows and high security psychiatric services. A transfer from the Cabinet Office of £546,000 (administration costs) for funding services provided by the parliamentary counsel. A net transfer to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of £6,000 (£80,000 increase in administration costs) for a contribution towards long-term social services support through partnership arrangements, offset by funding local public service agreements. A transfer to the Department of Trade and Industry of £64,000 for review body pay awards.

The administration cost limit has increased by £23,218,000 from £257,970,000 to £281,188,000 mainly for change management costs and transfers detailed above.

There are no changes to the Food Standards Agency's departmental expenditure limit and administration cost limit.