asked the Minister for the Arts whether he is proposing any change in the cash limit for the Arts Vote (class XIII, vote 10).

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for class XIII, Vote 10 will be increased by £2,565,000 from £171,312,000 to £173,877,000. £1,400,000 of the increase is for expenditure towards the completion of the Merseyside museum main contract, and is covered by a cash limit transfer from the Department of the Environment. The sum of £1,165,000 is a provision to enable additional items to be accepted in lieu of tax, and will be charged upon the Contingency Reserve. There will be no addition to the planning total of public expenditure.