To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what reasons his Department’s spending detailed in the Budget 2008 Red Book was lower than that set out in the 2007 Pre-Budget Report; and if he will make a statement. (196431)

The Department for Children, Schools and Families’ spending plan set out in the Budget 2008 Red Book (see Table C11) is the same as set in the 2007 pre-Budget report (see Table B13). For the 2008-09 to 2010-11 period, DCSF’s resource budget will be respectively £46.9 billion/£49.2 billion/£51.9 billion and the capital budget will be £6.0 billion/£6.4 billion/£7.7 billion. Changes to DCSF’s 2007-08 outturn estimate are due to underspends, which will be available for the Department to use in future years.