To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to make any changes to his Department's cash limits for 1990–91.

Yes. The non-voted cash limit MAFF/LACAP (supplementary credit approvals for flood defence and coast protection) will be increased by £2,300,000 from £13,230,000 to £15,530,000, to enable local authorities to devote additional resources to coast protection work following the severe winter storms at the beginning of 1990.The cash limit for class III, vote 5 (departmental research, advisory services and administration) will be reduced by £2,000,000, from £285,096,000 to £283,096,000, reflecting a predicted shortfall in spending on capital works.The net increase is within the forecast outturn for the planning total published today in the statistical supplement to the autumn statement.