To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2009, Official Report, columns 855-6W, on public expenditure, how much his Department's year-end stock of money, net of stock drawn down to fund in-year spend, was in each year since 2002; and what his estimate is for this figure at the end of 2008-09. (260098)

The Department for Work and Pensions’ year-end stock of money not spent in earlier years since 2002 is shown in the following table:

The year-end stock of money not spent in earlier years is calculated net of stock drawn down to fund in year spend and includes additional stock generated in year.

The stock of money not spent (commonly referred to as end of year flexibility) is determined at the end of each financial year in conjunction with HM Treasury and is published in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper (PEOWP).

As part of the pre-Budget report 2008 the Department was provided with funding to support the impact of the economic downturn in 2009-10 and 2010-11. The Department agreed to contribute its end of year flexibility stock towards this additional funding.

It is therefore expected that there will be no remaining stock of money at the end of 2008-09.