| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Cash and Running Costs Limits
Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what changes he proposes to make to his Department's cash limit and running cost limit for 1997-98. [14011]
Mr. Chris Smith: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for class X, vote 1 will be increased by £6,100,000 from £867,853,000 to £873,953,000 and the running costs limit reduced by £746,000 from £30,091,000 to £29,345,000. This is to provide for an increase in provision for the British Library St. Pancras project; to provide for additional maintenance expenditure for the British Library; an increase in provision for the refurbishment of Somerset House for the housing of the Gilbert Collection; transfers from the Department of Trade and Industry (class IV, vote 1) for Sector Challenge funding of tourist and media projects and for sponsorship of the music industry; and a transfer to the Home Office (class VII, vote 1) for voluntary services.
The increases will be offset by transfers, savings and charges to the Reserve, and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
PRIME MINISTER
Cash and Running Costs Limits
Mr. Stevenson: To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has to change the Cabinet Office: Security and Intelligence Services cash limits for 1997-98. [14278]
The Prime Minister: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVIII, vote 2 will be increased by £5,606,000 from £713,307,000 to £718,913,000. The running costs cash limit will be increased by £5,606,000 from £362,082,000 to £367,688,000. The increase in running costs is needed to take on board transfers from OPS to the FCO and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
Mr. Bill O'Brien:
To ask the Prime Minister what proposals there are to change the 1997-98 cash limit or running costs limit for the Cabinet Office: other services vote. [14308]
5 Nov 1997 : Column: 209
The Prime Minister:
The cash limit for Cabinet Office: other services (class XVIII, vote 1) will be increased by £1,291,000 from £36,153,000 to £37,444,000 and the running costs limit will be increased by £1,291,000 from £42,803,000 to £44,094,000.
This is to reflect a transfer of £168,000 from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (class II, vote 3) for the BBC World Service Monitoring Service, which is moving to subscription based funding. The vote is also eligible for a running costs cash limit increase of £1,123,000 in respect of end year flexibility arrangements, as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 17 July 1997, Official Report, columns 245-250.
The increase will be offset by transfers or charged to the Reserve, and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers living in the London borough of Barnet have had (a) a final determination of their asylum application made adverse to them and (b) how many of (a) above have been moved into deportation areas and have not yet left the country; and what is the cost to the London borough of Barnet and to central Government of supporting such persons, in total and on average. [13119]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
I regret that the information requested is not available centrally. Information on where asylum seekers are living is not available centrally: we cannot therefore give any information on asylum seekers in the London borough of Barnet.
Dr. Fox:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many unsuccessful asylum seekers are currently awaiting deportation from England and Wales; [13769]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
I regret that the information is not available separately for England and Wales, or for Scotland.
The available information relates to asylum seekers whose initial decision was a refusal, who have subsequently had a deportation order signed and who have not yet left the United Kingdom. As at 30 September 1997, there were 1,510 such persons. That figure is provisional and excludes persons treated as illegal entrants or subject to port refusal procedures.
Mr. Hope:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for changes to the 1997-98 cash and running costs limits within his responsibilities. [14066]
Mr. Straw:
Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary token supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class VII, vote 1 (Home Office administration, police,
5 Nov 1997 : Column: 210
probation, immigration and other services, England and Wales) will be reduced by £510,000 from £4,729,171,000 to £4,728,661,000 and the running costs limit will be increased by £5,251,000 from £1,887,680,000 to £1,892,931,000.
The changes in the cash limit are the net effect of the following:
The increases will be offset by transfers and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
Mr. McLoughlin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has been given to Derbyshire county council through the revenue support grant for the county's police authority in each of the last three years. [13755]
Mr. Michael:
The Derbyshire Police Authority is independent from the county council, an arrangement which was consequent on the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994. It is the Police Authority which is responsible for setting the budget. The budget is made up of police grant, revenue support grant, non-domestic rates (the business rate) and the police authority precept raised through the council tax. Providing the revenue support grant figure on its own would be uninformative and I have therefore provided a table which shows how the total spending power was made up in the three years referred to in the question.
(2) how many unsuccessful asylum seekers are currently awaiting deportation from Scotland. [13770]
A transfer of £490,000 from the non voted cash limit HO/LACAP to fund expenditure on the National Crime Squad Headquarters. The transfer will reduce the HO/LACAP cash limit from £89,546,000 to £89,056,000.
Transfers to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of £50,000 for the International Drugs Co-ordinator post and £600,000 in respect of inter-departmental drugs prevention projects in Pakistan and Colombia. A transfer to the Department of Health of £350,000 in respect of the Drugs Challenge Fund.
The increase in the running costs limit is the net effect of payments relating to the transfer of responsibility for voluntary services from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport of £771,000; £30,000 for a payment from Cabinet Office in respect of the Government Information Service Head of Profession; £4,500,000 due to increased demand for passports and a transfer to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of £50,000 for the International Drugs Co-ordinator post.
| £ million | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Home Office grant | Revenue support grant | Non- domestic rates | Police precept (Council tax) | Total spending power |
| 1995-96 | 43.76 | 13.71 | 17.8 | 13.02 | 88.3 |
| 1996-97 | 46.36 | 13.14 | 19.7 | 13.3 | 92.5 |
| 1997-98 | 48.09 | 14.09 | 18.89 | 15.28 | 96.3 |
5 Nov 1997 : Column: 211
Mr. Jonathan Aitken
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is to complete his investigations into the alleged perjury of Mr. Jonathan Aitken during his High Court action against The Guardian; and if he will make a statement. [13768]
Mr. Michael: This investigation is an operational matter for the Commissioner. The Commissioner informs me that the investigation is continuing and is being pursued as expeditiously as possible. At this time the Metropolitan Police do not have a date for the conclusion of the investigation. When the investigation is complete a report will be sent to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Delegated Legislation
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all (a) secondary, (b) other delegated legislation and (c) all deregulation orders his Department made during the summer adjournment. [14374]
Mr. Straw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster today.
Police Forces (Staff)
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of (a) police officers and (b) civilian support staff, in each police force on (i) the last day for which figures are available and (ii) 1 May for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [13724]
Mr. Michael [holding answer 3 November 1997]: The latest date for which figures are available are those for 31 March 1997. Since 1995, police numbers are collected only twice a year. The strength figures for 1995 and 1996 are therefore those at 31 March. Prior to April 1995, they were collected every month. Police strength figures for 1992, 1993, and 1994 are therefore those for 30 April. Between 30 April 1992 and 30 March 1997, the number of police officers fell by 536. During the same period, the number of civilian support staff increased by 5,568. The information is set out in tables which have been placed in the Library.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |