Subject to parliamentary approval of the Spring Supplementary Estimate, the Attorney General’s DEL will be increased by £16,110,000 from £756,976,000 to £773,086,000 and the administration budget will be increased by £3,450,000 from £119,643,000 to £123,093,000.

Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:

* Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

The Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) element of the Attorney-General’s DEL will be increased by £10,080,000 from £648,696,000 to £658,776,000. There is no change in the administration budget.

The change in the CPS’s DEL arises from:

£8,000,000 allocation to the departmental unallocated provision for counterterrorism.

An increase to DEL due to a budgetary transfer of £3,000,000 from the Ministry of Justice from the victims surcharge programme to continue to improve services to prosecution witnesses in court.

A decrease of £655,000 programme resources due to the reallocation of resource DEL budgetary cover from the Crown Prosecution Service to the Ministry of Justice to support Criminal Justice Information Technology (CJIT) projects.

A decrease of £265,000 programme resources due to the reallocation of resource DEL budgetary cover from the Crown Prosecution Service to the Ministry of Justice to support the Criminal Justice Information Technology (CJIT) Progress project.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) element of the Attorney-General’s DEL will be increased by £300,000 from £54,814,000 to £55,114,000. The administration budget remains unchanged.

The changes in the SFO’s DEL arise from:

The take up of £300,000 capital end-year flexibility to meet the cost of additional capital spend.

The Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office’s (RCPO) element of the Attorney-General’s DEL will be increased by £3,700,000 from £36,409,000 to £40,109,000. The administration budget which will be increased by £2,500,000 from £17,936,000 to £20,436,000.

The changes in RCPO’s DEL arise from:

A drawdown of £2,400,000 near-cash administration resources from the EYF entitlement for 2007-08 in order to fund increased activity on asset recovery.

A drawdown of £600,000 non-cash administration resources from the EYF entitlement for 2007-08 in order to depreciate refurbishment and IT establishment costs.

A reduction of £317,000 in administration spending to facilitate a reallocation of resource DEL to the Treasury Solicitor's Department to fund administration of the Attorney-General's Office. The transfer of budgetary cover was announced in the Winter Supplementary Written Statement and previously taken up by the Treasury Solicitor's Department in their Winter Supplementary Estimate.

An increase in forecast programme receipts of £2,142,000 not fully offset by spending of £1,642,000.

An increase in forecast administration receipts of £1,349,000 fully offset by spending of £1,349,000.

The take-up of £800,000 from the capital EYF entitlement for 2007-08, in order to cover the establishment costs for the RCPO IT project and the capitalisation of the majority of refurbishment costs.

An increase of £1,000,000 in capital spending, to cover establishment costs for the RCPO IT project and the capitalisation of the majority of refurbishment costs. This is to be funded by a reallocation of capital DEL from the Treasury Solicitor's Department.

The HM Procurator General and Treasury Solicitor (TSol) element of the Attorney General’s DEL will be increased by £2,030,000 from £17,057,000 to £19,087,000. The administration budget which will increase by £950,000 from £12,769,000 to £13,719,000.

The change in TSol’s DEL arises from:

Take up £800,000 of administration costs resource end-year flexibility (EYF) (near-cash) to meet the cost of policy support to the Attorney-General’s office and accommodation. In budgetary terms, RDEL EYF entitlement transferred from the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office.

The take up of £150,000 administration costs resource EYF (non-cash) to meet the cost of policy support to the Attorney-General’s office and accommodation.

An increase of £120,000 in depreciation costs.

An increase of £1,200,000 for resource EYF transferred from RCPO.

My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Edward Miliband) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the Spring Supplementary Estimate 2007-08, the Cabinet Office total departmental expenditure limit (DEL) has changed from the amount voted in the Winter Supplementary Estimate 2007-08.

As a result, the Cabinet Office total DEL has increased by £27,377,000 from £398,597,000 to £425,974,000.

The impact on resource DEL (REL) and capital DEL (CDEL) is set out in the following table:

** Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

The changes in the Spring Supplementary Estimate 2007-08 compared to the Winter Supplementary Estimate 2007-08 are due to: drawdown on the reserve for V matched funding, take-up of resource DEL end-year flexibility to cover grants in the Office of the Third Sector, budgetary cover transfer to Department of Health to cover costs of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, reclassification of expenditure from administration to programme within RDEL, transfer of non cash to near cash within RDEL, a transfer from non cash RDEL to capital DEL, a transfer of non voted transfer from RDEL to non voted CDEL in respect of Executive NDPB (ENDPB), an increase in non operating appropriations in aid in CDEL reflecting a disposal of a fixed asset.

Changes in Resource DEL (RDEL)

£1,584,000 increase in the resource element of DEL arises from:

Drawdown on the Reserve

Drawdown for V matched funding for the Office of the Third Sector to cover grant expenditure increases RDEL and net cash requirement in the estimate by £4,729,000.

End-Year Flexibility (EYF)

Take-up of EYF to cover grants expenditure for necessary Third Sector projects increases grant expenditure in RDEL and net cash requirement by £3,300,000.

Outward budgetary cover transfer

A budgetary cover transfer to Department of Health to cover the costs of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel (OPC) reduces RDEL and net cash requirement in the estimate by £370,000.

Transfers between budgets

A transfer from non cash administration to capital DEL to fund capital investment in IT projects including the Government Gateway Strategic Support Programme reduces RDEL by £6,000,000 and no change to net cash requirement.

A non-voted transfer of £75,000 from RDEL to CDEL to finance capital expenditure of ENDPB.

Change in Administration Budget (RDEL)

£50,370,000 decrease in the administration budget arises from:

£370,000 transfer to Department of Health;

£6,000,000 transfer from administration within non cash RDEL to capital DEL;

£10,500,000 reallocation from administration to programme within non cash; and

£33,500,000 reallocation from administration to programme within near cash DEL.

Change in Near Cash in RDEL

£16,848,000 increase in near cash in RDEL arises from:

£3,300,000 take-up of end-year flexibility;

£4,729,000 drawdown from the reserve;

£10,000,000 conversion from non cash to near cash;

£370,000 budgetary transfer to Department of Health;

£75,000 transfer of non voted to capital DEL;

£14,000 change in notional audit fee; and

£750,000 change in provisions

Changes in Capital DEL (CDEL)

£6,072,000 increase in the capital element of DEL arises from:

A transfer of £6,000,000 from non cash administration to capital DEL to fund additional pressures which have arisen within the department which relates to IT projects including the Government Gateway Strategic Support Programme.

Sale proceeds from the disposal of a minibus has increased non-operating appropriations in aid by £3,000 and reduced net cash requirement by the same amount.

A non-voted transfer of £75,000 from RDEL to CDEL to finance the capital expenditure of ENDPB.

Change in Depreciation

£19,721,000 decrease in depreciation arises from:

£10,000,000 conversion from non cash to near cash;

£6,000,000 conversion from non cash to capital DEL; and

£3,721,000 transfer to cost of capital.

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office (Phil Hope) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Plans to change the Charity Commission’s departmental expenditure limit (DEL) and administration budget for 2007-08.

Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Charity Commission total DEL will be increased by £2,800,000 from £31,993,000 to £34,793,000. Within the total DEL change, the impact on resources and capital is as set out in the following table:

* The total of “Administration budget” and “Near cash in Resource DEL” may be greater than total resource DEL due to the definitions overlapping.

** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in estimates and accounts but which are treated as capital DEL in budgets.

*** Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

The change in the resource element of the DEL and in the administration budget arises from the take-up of £2.6 million from the modernisation fund (out of a total £3 million agreed in the CSR 07 settlement). This funding will be used to pay for staff severances consequent upon the Commission’s reprioritisation and restructuring exercise, which will enable the commission to meet the CSR settlement through to 2010-11.

The change in the capital element of the DEL reflects take-up of £200,000 from prior years’ EYF to fund the completion of capital projects to enhance the effectiveness of IT systems and increase the availability of online services.

The Supplementary Estimate also details changes in operating appropriations in aid, fully offset by changes in spending and not impacting on the commission’s departmental expenditure limit:

project funding of £50,000 by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the continuation of the International Outreach project; and

£50,000 additional accommodation charges funded by the sub-letting of a floor at the commission’s London office building.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (John Hutton) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Spring Supplementary Estimates 2007-08

Expenditure Limits

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform’s DEL will be increased by £584,491,000 from £3,396,817,000 to £3,981,308,000 and the administration budget will be increased by £174,122,000 from £326,709,000 to £500,831,000.

Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital is as set out in the following table:

* The total of the “Administration Budget”’ and “Near-cash in Resource DEL” figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.

* Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in Estimates and accounts but which are treated as capital DEL in budgets.

* Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from:

RfR1

machinery of government transfer of £810,000 non-voted expenditure from the Department for Communities and Local Government in respect of Northern Way;

transfer of £311,000 to Department of the Environment Northern Ireland for the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive;

transfer of £750,000 non-voted expenditure from the Ministry of Defence for Nirex;

virement of £363,000 from voted to non-voted expenditure in respect of the regional development agencies reflecting increased contributions from other government departments;

virement of £300,000 from voted to non-voted expenditure in respect of capital for Enterprise Ltd;

utilisation of £991,000 from the unused balance of the department's EYF entitlement in respect of non-voted expenditure of the regional development agencies;

utilisation of £256,159,000 from the unused balance of the department's EYF entitlement in respect of non-voted expenditure of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority;

reserve claim of £97,000,000 in respect of non-voted expenditure of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority;

utilisation of £4,400,000 from the unused balance of the department's EYF entitlement in respect of global threat reduction;

utilisation of £10,841,000 from the unused balance of the department's EYF entitlement in respect of British shipbuilders non cash;

utilisation of £1,357,000 from the unused balance of the department's EYF entitlement in respect of the renewable energy performance and innovation fund;

utilisation of £3,252,000 from the unused balance of the department's EYF entitlement in respect of sustainable development/the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive; and

machinery of government transfer of £152,000 to the Office for National Statistics in respect of construction statistics.

Also within the change to resource DEL above, the changes to the administration budget are (RfR1):

machinery of government transfer of £42,000 from the Department for Communities and Local Government in respect of Northern Way;

transfer of £100,000 from the Treasury Solicitors in respect of European Division;

utilisation of £62,000,000 from the unused balance of the department's EYF entitlement in respect of onerous property lease noncash;

reserve claim of £122,000,000 in respect of onerous property lease noncash;

virement of £2,000,000 to programme in respect of energy demand reduction pilot;

virement of £1,700,000 to programme in respect of clean and sustainable energy;

virement of £5,200,000 to programme in respect of in-year restructuring costs;

Machinery of Government transfer of £1,120,000 to the Office for National Statistics in respect of construction statistics.

The change in the capital element of the DEL arises from:

RfR1

machinery of government transfer of £25,000,000 non-voted expenditure from the Department for Communities and Local Government in respect of Northern Way;

virement of £2,364,000 from voted to non-voted expenditure in respect of the regional development agencies reflecting increased contributions from other government departments;

virement of £8,900,000 from voted expenditure on sustainable energy capital grants to fund a shortfall in non-voted launch investment CFER receipts;

virement of £15,000,000 from voted expenditure on sustainable energy capital grants to non-voted expenditure by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority;

virement of £32,000,000 from voted expenditure on regional selective assistance to non-voted expenditure by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority;

transfer of £1,628,000 to the Ministry of Justice for the ETS/ACAS caseflow project;

utilisation of £3,000,000 from the unused balance of the department's EYF entitlement in respect of non-voted expenditure of the regional development agencies.

Spring Supplementary Estimates 2007-08—Ofgem Written Statement

Expenditure Limits

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets’ DEL will be increased by £1,000 from £1,652,000 to £1,653,000 and the administration budget will be increased by £1,000 from £702,000 to £703,000.

Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital is as set out in the following table:

* The total of the “Administration Budget” and “Near-cash in Resource DEL” figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.

* Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in estimates and accounts but which are treated as capital DEL in budgets.

* Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from a token increase in administration costs to bring to Parliament’s attention a reclassification of Ofgem’s expenditure in connection with environmental programmes from RfR2 to RfR1.

This change better reflects Ofgem’s responsibilities for the administration of environmental programmes, and it is therefore no longer appropriate to treat it as a separate RfR.

There is no change in the capital element of the DEL.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (Ed Balls) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary supplementary estimate, the Department for Children, Schools and Families departmental expenditure limit (DEL) will be increased by £131,548,000 from £50,559,305,000 to £50,690,853,000, the administration cost budget will be increased by £3,300,000 from £192,477,000 to £195,777,000. There is no change for the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (OFSTED), whose DEL remains at £221,790,000 and administration cost budget remains at £28,955,000.

Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:

* Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL, in the table above, since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

** The total of “Administration budget” and “Near-cash in resource DEL” figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.

*** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in estimates and accounts but which are treated as capital DEL in budgets.

Within the administration cost budget changes, the impact is set out in the following table:

Resource DEL

The £131,548,000 increase in the voted element of the resource DEL arises from a decrease in the voted element of the resource DEL of £95,208,000 and an increase of £226,756,000 in the non-voted element of resource DEL.

Voted Resource DEL

The £95,208,000 decrease in the voted element of the resource DEL arises from:

RFR1

The take-up of end-year flexibility of £135,294,000 for central administration costs (£2,000,000), for central services programme costs (£16,685,000), for school central programmes (£27,300,000), Children’s Services and programmes (£12,500,000), Schools Standards Fund (£65,769,000), departmental restructuring (£11,040,000).

A movement from Sure Start RFR2 to RFR1 £4,026,000 towards the costs of early-years foundations.

A movement of £65,056,000 from Children’s fund RfR3 to local area agreements.

A movement to Sure Start RFR2 of £50,000 from schools central programmes for the Formula Development Project.

A movement to non-budget of £206,799,000 for Learner Support (£13,170,000), 14-19 development (£70,379,000), teachers’ pay and performance (£119,629,000), TEC property costs (£3,621,000).

A transfer to the Department for Innovations, Universities and Skills for £4,746,000 in respect of adult training and skills.

RFR2

The take-up of end-year flexibility of £1,000,000 for Sure Start family unit grants.

A movement from RfR1 of £50,000 to Sure Start central grants for the Formula Development Project.

A movement to RFR1 £4,026,000 for costs to support the roll out of the early-years foundation stage (£2,000,000), for groups contribution to the Flood Recovery Grant (£2,000,000), for the early-years census (£26,000).

A movement to non-voted of £19,957,000 for teacher training.

RFR3

A movement of £65,056,000 to local area agreements RfR1.

Non-voted resource DEL

The increase in non-voted resource DEL of £226,756,000 arises from:

A movement from RFR1 of £206,799,000 for learner support (£13,170,000), 14-19 development (£70,379,000), teachers’ pay and performance (£119,629,000), TEC property costs (£3,621,000).

A movement from RFR2 of £19,957,000 for teacher training.

Capital DEL

There is no increase/decrease in capital DEL, but there are movements between voted and non-voted capital DEL.

Voted Capital DEL

RFR1

A movement of £86,000,000 from School Standard Funds to Sure Start capital grants through local authorities RfR2.

A movement of £416,228,000 from non-voted capital DEL which is made up of £310,000,000 for City Academies, £80,644,000 for school standards, £25,584,000 for ICT in schools.

RFR2

A movement of £86,000,000 from School Standard Funds RFR1 to capital grants through local authorities.

Non-voted Capital DEL

A movement of £416,228,000 to voted capital DEL which is made up of £310,000,000 for City Academies, £80,644,000 for school standards, £25,584,000 for ICT in schools.

Administration Cost Budget

The take up of end-year flexibility of £2,000,000 to cover net pressure on departmental administration costs.

A reclassification of £1,300,000 from further education programme costs.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Andy Burnham) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Subject to parliamentary approval of any supplementary estimate, the Department for Culture Media and Sport’s departmental expenditure limit (DEL) will be increased by £20,004,000 from £2,008,031,000 to £2,028,035,000 and the administration cost limit will decrease by £4,000 from £55,574,000 to £55,570,000. Within the DEL change the impact on resource and capital are set out in the following table:

* The total of “Administration budget” and “Near-cash in Resource DEL” figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.

** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in estimates and accounts but which are treated as capital DEL in budgets.

† Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from:

Take-up of £4,000 end-year flexibility: for the participation survey.

The administration cost limit has decreased by £4,000 from £55,574,000 to £55,570,000. This is as a result of an internal transfer from administration costs to programme costs to correct a misallocation.

The change in the capital element of the DEL arises from:

Take up of end-year flexibility of £20,000,000 to allow accelerated spending by the Olympic Delivery Authority within its agreed budget.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills (John Denham) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary supplementary estimate, the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills departmental expenditure limit (DEL) will be decreased by £348,341,000 from £18,087,949,000 to £17,739,608,000, the administration cost budget will be increased by £4,090,000 from £71,840,000 to £75,930,000.

Within the DEL, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:

† The total of “Administration budget” and “Near-cash in resource DEL” figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.

†† Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in estimates and accounts but which are treated as capital DEL in budgets.

††† Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL, in the table above, since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

Resource DEL

The decrease in the resource element of the DEL of £443,498,000 arises from a decrease in the voted element of the resource DEL of £674,303,000 and an increase of £230,805,000 in the non-voted element of resource DEL mainly in the department’s non-departmental public bodies.

Voted Resource DEL

The £674,303,000 decrease in the voted element of the resource DEL arises from:

RFR1

The take-up of end-year flexibility of £4,090,000 for central administration costs, for the resource consequences of student loans £63,869,000.

The reclassification from DEL to AME of the maintenance of student loan provisions £515,000,000.

A £1,625,000 virement to RfR2, for central administration costs.

A net transfer to the Ministry of Justice £1,872,000 for prisoner education.

A net decrease in voted receipts of £2,967,000 offset by a net decrease in non-voted resource DEL.

A movement to non-voted resource DEL of £227,306,000 for the Student Loan Company (£475,000), the Higher Education Funding Council for England (£10,212,000), the Investors in People UK (£170,000), the Learning and Skills Council (£8,544,000), the Quality Improvement Agency (£5,683,000) and the Sector Skills Development Agency (£7,122,000), the Technology Strategy Board (£195,100,000).

RFR2

A £1,625,000 virement from RfR1, for central administration costs.

A movement to non-voted resource DEL of £6,097,000 for the research councils.

A movement from departmental unallocated expenditure of £5,046,000 for GO Science Group and science research.

Non-voted resource DEL

The £230,805,000 increase in non-voted resource DEL arises from:

The take-up of end-year flexibility of £399,000 for the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

A transfer in from the Department for Children, Schools and Families of £4,746,000 for the Learning and Skills Council.

A net decrease in non-voted expenditure of £2,967,000 offset by a net decrease in voted resource DEL receipts.

A movement from RfR1, £227,306,000 to non-voted resource DEL for the Student Loan Company (£475,000), the Higher Education Funding Council for England (£10,212,000), the Investors in People UK (£170,000), the Learning and Skills Council (£8,544,000), the Quality Improvement Agency (£5,683,000) and the Sector Skills Development Agency (£7,122,000), the Technology Strategy Board (£195,100,000).

Transfer in from central funds of £270,000 for the Learning and Skills Council.

A movement from RfR2 voted resource DEL of £6,097,000 for the research councils.

A movement to RfR2 voted DEL of £5,046,000 for GO Science Group and science research.

Capital DEL

The increase in the capital element of the DEL of £95,157,000 arises from a £13,652,000 increase in the voted element of capital DEL and an increase of £81,505,000 in the non-voted element of capital DEL.

Voted Capital DEL

The £13,652,000 increase in the voted element of the capital DEL arises from:

RFR1

An increase in higher education receipts of £2,000,000 offset by an increase in non-voted capital DEL for the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

RFR2

The take-up of end-year flexibility £5,489,000 for science research.

A movement from non-voted capital DEL £10,163,000 for science research.

Non-voted Capital DEL

The £81,505,000 increase in the non-voted element of the capital DEL arises from:

An increase in Higher Education Funding Council for England expenditure of £2,000,000 offset by higher education capital DEL receipts.

The take-up of end-year flexibility £89,668,000 for the Higher Education Funding Council for England (£35,668,000), for the Learning and Skills Council (£54,000,000).

A movement to RfR2, voted capital DEL £10,163,000 for science research.

Administration Cost Budget

RfR1

A take-up of end-year flexibility £4,090,000 to cover pressures on departmental running costs.

A virement of £1,625,000 to RfR2, for GO Science Group administration.

RfR2

A virement of £1,625,000 from RfR1, for GO Science Group administration.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Douglas Alexander) has made the following Statement:

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the Department for International Development’s departmental expenditure limit (DEL) will be increased by £22,568,000 from £5,254,357,000 to £5,276,925,000.

Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:

* The total of “Administration budget” and “Near-cash in Resource DEL” figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.

** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in estimates and accounts but which are treated as capital DEL in budgets.

*** Depreciation, which forms part of the resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL, since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of these assets would lead to double counting.

The net change in the resource element of DEL arises from:

Additions

£9,660,000 transferred from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in respect of Global Conflict Prevention Pool

£50,000 transferred from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Reductions

£1,500,000 transferred to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Global Conflict Prevention Pool for projects in Sri Lanka.

£3,413,000 transferred to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in respect of Africa Conflict Prevention Pool.

£229,000 transferred to the Ministry of Defence in respect of Africa Conflict Prevention Pool.

The net change in the capital element of DEL arises from:

Additions

£15,000,000 drawdown of capital provision from end of year flexibility entitlement set out in the Public Expenditure 2006-07 Outturn White Paper.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport (Ruth Kelly) has made the following Ministerial Statement.

Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary supplementary estimate, the Department for Transport departmental expenditure limit (DEL) for 2007-08 will be increased by £584,299,000 from £13,105,578,000 to £13,689,877,000 and the administration budget will be increased by £5,142,000 from £289,384,000 to £294,526,000.

Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital, are as set out in the following table:

*Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

Resource Change: Administration (total increase of £5,142,000)

Voted: total increase of £7,845,000.

RfR1

(i) Take-up of £3,642,000 near cash end-year flexibility for various pressures including the implementation of Eddington work, recruitment costs and building costs; and

(ii) A transfer of £4,203,000 from non voted near cash departmental unallocated provision to provide for opening budget allocations agreed in the 2007-08 Business Plan.

Non Voted: total decrease of £2,703,000.

(iii) Take-up of £1,500,000 near cash end-year flexibility for utilisation of a provision in respect of building dilapidations; and

(iv) A transfer of £4,203,000 to voted near cash administration provision.

Resource Change: Programme (total decrease of £33,719,000)

Voted: total decrease of £123,353,000

RfR1

(i) Take-up of £43,598,000 near cash end-year flexibility (including £17,500,000 from administration entitlement) for Crossrail;

(ii) A transfer of £500,000 near cash to the Scottish Executive for the Rail Environmental Benefit Procurement Scheme;

(iii) A reduction of £150,000,000 non cash Highways Agency impairments reclassified as annually managed expenditure;

(iv) A net transfer of £16,451,000 to non voted provision as follows:

a. £300,000 near cash from Power Shift to the Renewable Fuels Agency;

b. £17,587,000 from rail, including £7,740,000 non cash and £4,847,000 non cash switched to near cash (see (v) below); partially offset by:

c. £1,436,000 near cash increase to the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency enforcement;

(v) £20,000,000 of rail non cash headroom has been converted to near cash, permitted under Treasury guidelines, to fund the following:

a. £2,028,000 for concessionary travel;

b. £10,025,000 for shared services;

c. £3,100,000 for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency; and

d. a transfer of £4,847,000 to non voted provision included in (iv) b. above.

Non Voted: total increase of £89,634,000

(i) Take-up of £73,183,000 near cash end-year flexibility for the net operating losses of London and Continental Railways.

(ii) A net transfer of £16,451,000 from voted provision for:

a. £300,000 near cash for the Renewable Fuels Agency;

b. £4,847,000 near cash for the utilisation of the following provisions: pensions (£2,847,000); early retirement (£1,500,000); and an HM Revenue and Customs tax liability for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (£500,000);

c. £5,000,000 near cash for shared services;

d. £7,740,000 non cash for London and Continental Railways (£6,217,000); Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency cost of capital (£1,394,000); and towards the shared service project depreciation (£129,000); and

e. partially offset by £1,436,000 near cash transfer from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Capital Change: (total increase of £641,395,000)

Voted: total increase of £35,651,000

RfR1

(i) Take-up of £150,000,000 end year flexibility for a capital grant to the Greater London Authority to pass on to Transport for London to provide short term flexibility while the costs associated with Metronet’s administration remain uncertain.

(ii) Net transfer of £114,349,000 to non voted provision consisting of:

a. £58,439,000 from Network Grants to London and Continental Railways;

b. £59,951,000 from Local Transport Major Schemes; partially offset by:

c. £4,041,000 increase to the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.

Non Voted: total increase of £605,744,000

(i) £304,000,000 reserve claim to part cover a notional charge (of £454,000,000 in total) scoring within capital DEL to reflect the marginal impact on public sector net debt in 2007-08 of costs relating to Metronet in the light of its move into administration.

(ii) Take-up of £187,395,000 end-year flexibility, comprising:

a. £150,000 for the remainder of the notional charge relating to Metronet, as referred to in (i) above; and

b. £37,395,000 for London and Continental Railways to provide cover for their capital expenditure.

Net transfer of £114,349,000 from voted provision consisting of:

a. £58,439,000 for London and Continental Railways to provide cover for their capital expenditure;

b. £35,000,000 for the integrated transport block;

c. £21,000,000 for UK Trustports;

d. £3,951,000 towards General Lighthouse Authority ship lease; partially offset by;

e. £4,041,000 to voted provision from Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency receipts.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (James Purnell) has made the following Statement.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the Department for Work and Pensions departmental expenditure limit will increase by £60,847,000 from £7,643,047,406 to £7,703,894,406 and the administration budget will decrease by £88,000 from £5,816,364,000 to £5,816,276,000.

Within the departmental expenditure limit change, the impact on resource and capital is as set out in the following table:

¹ Depreciation, which forms part of resource departmental expenditure limit, is excluded from the total departmental expenditure limit since the capital departmental expenditure limit includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit

The change in the resource departmental expenditure limit arises from:

Request for Resources 2

(i) A Machinery Of Government transfer of the Disability Rights Commission (sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions) to the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (sponsored by Government Equalities Office).

(ii) The Disability Rights Commission is an executive non-departmental public body. The resource departmental expenditure limit transactions were a reduction in voted administration of £88,000 (near-cash) and a reduction in non-voted other current £20,000,000 (near-cash).

Request for Resources 5

(iii) A drawdown of £45,000,000 other current end of year flexibility to support non-cash expenditure.

Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit

The change in the capital departmental expenditure limit arises from:

Request for Resources 3

(iv) A budget transfer from the Northern Ireland Executive of £4,935,000 in respect of expenditure incurred by the Pension Transformation Programme.

(v) A drawdown of £31,000,000 end of year flexibility to support expenditure on the Pensions Change Programme.

Administration Costs Limit

The movement in the administration cost limit arises from the changes to the resource departmental expenditure limit as noted at items i and ii above.

Movements in Non-Voted Resource Expenditure

The changes in non-voted resource expenditure arise from the changes to the resource departmental expenditure limit as noted at items i and ii above. In addition the following adjustments:

Request for Resources 1

(vi) A reduction in non-voted resource expenditure of £104,900,000 offset by an increase in voted resource expenditure of £104,900,000 in respect of the allocation of the departmental unallocated provision to support the Child Support Agency Operational Improvement Plan.

Request for Resources 2

(vii) An increase in non-voted expenditure of £1,461,000 offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £1,461,000 in respect of increased spend of Working Ventures (UK) Limited.

Request for Resources 3

(viii) An increase in non-voted expenditure of £244,000 offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £244,000 in respect of increased spend of the Pensions Advisory Service.

(ix) An increase in non-voted expenditure of £189,000 offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £189,000 in respect of decreased spend of the Pensions Ombudsman.

(x) A reduction in non-voted expenditure of £839,000 offset by an increase in voted expenditure of £839,000 in respect of decreased spend of the Pensions Regulator.

(xi) An increase in non-voted expenditure of £6,532,000 offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £6,532,000 in respect of planned expenditure for the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority.

(xii) A reduction in non-voted expenditure of £600,000 offset by an increase in voted expenditure of £600,000 in respect of an adjustment to the classification of spend for Better Government for Older People.

Movements in Non-Voted Capital Expenditure

The changes in non-voted capital relate to the following adjustments:

Request for Resources 3

(xiii) An increase in non-voted expenditure of £5,000 offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £5,000 in respect of increased spend of the Pensions Advisory Service.

(xiv) An increase in non-voted expenditure of £17,000 offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £17,000 in respect of increased spend of the Pensions Ombudsman.

(xv) An increase in non-voted expenditure of £474,000 offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £474,000 in respect of increased spend of the Pensions Regulator.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health (Alan Johnson) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Subject to the necessary supplementary estimate, the Department of Health's element of the departmental expenditure limit (DEL) will be increased by £7,208,000 from £93,848,552,000 to £93,855,760,000 and the administration cost limit will be increased by £6,370,000 from £224,633,000 to £231,003,000. The Food Standards Agency DEL remains unchanged at £154,339,000. The overall DEL including the Food Standards Agency will increase by £7,208, 000 from £94,002,891,000 to £94,010,099,000. The impact on resource and capital are set out in the following table.

* The total of “administration budget” and “Near cash in Resource DEL” figures may well be greater that the total resource DEL, due to definitions overlapping.

** Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since the capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

The Department of Health DEL has increased by £7,208,000 made up of:

the take-up of £6,000,000 (administration costs) end-year flexibility as announced in the provisional outturn White Paper (Cm 7156) for a range of planned non-recurrent expenditure which includes; activities for professional, regulation and leadership and the “Five Programmes with the NHS” work,

£838,000 (£214,000 capital) for round 8 and 9 Invest to Save budget awards;

a transfer of £370,000 (administration costs) from the Cabinet Office for services of the Parliamentary Counsel; and

a £60,000 adjustment to budgets which reduces capital charges (revenue) for care standards tribunal services (which moved from the Ministry of Justice) and increases capital by £60,000.

The Department of Health’s administration cost limit has increased by £6,370,000 as described above.

There is no change to the Food Standards Agency element of the DEL.

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Consumer Affairs (Gareth Thomas) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

I will be attending the EU Competitiveness Council in Brussels on 25 February.

The two main agenda items are likely to be the Lisbon economic reform process, and the single market review. The council will be invited to adopt a key issues paper on the renewed Lisbon strategy. This will form the Competitiveness Council’s contribution to the spring European Council. The council will then be invited to adopt conclusions on the Commission’s single market review. The review follows much of what the UK called for—a new flexible approach to single market policy that puts the emphasis on promoting competition, reducing the burden of regulation, and encouraging innovation. It is important that the UK builds on the success of the review by ensuring positive conclusions.

The only other substantive agenda item for which BERR is responsible will be:

Strategic energy technologies (SET) action plan (an exchange of views). The UK strongly supports the need at member state and EU level to increase the scale and impact of our investments in low-carbon technologies.

There will be seven further items taken under any other business for which BERR is responsible:

a presentation by the Commission on its recent package of proposals for the European defence industry;

information from the presidency on emissions of CO₂ from passenger cars and light-commercial vehicles;

information from the Commission on a consumer markets scoreboard;

information from the presidency on the recent European Clusters Conference;

information from the presidency on the climate-energy legislative package;

information from the Commission on the single market scoreboard; and

information from the Commission on better regulation.

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (James Plaskitt) has made the following Statement.

The Employment and Social Policy Informal Meeting was held on 31 January to 2 February in Brdo, Slovenia. I represented the UK.

The theme of the informal was “How best to respond to the common principles of Flexicurity”, following their adoption at last year’s December Council. There was broad consensus around the concept of flexicurity and the discussion was positive and forward-looking, but there was no agreement on how to make the flexicurity principles a reality.

Ministers agreed that there was no one model to copy, but that we could usefully learn from each other’s experiences. All member states raised the importance of better training and lifelong learning, and the need to anticipate the economy’s future requirements. There was also a strong focus on the need to facilitate job transitions, modernising social protection systems to ensure their long-term fiscal sustainability and ensuring that flexicurity worked for all workers, with a particular focus on young and older workers.

I spoke on the importance of maintaining flexibility at a time of economic uncertainty, the need to promote new approaches to skills and lifelong learning, and support for the idea of a European skills review.

The French also launched their idea of a “flexicurity mission”. Its objective would be to explain flexicurity and what it meant in terms of reforms to European citizens. The mission would visit a few member states before reporting back to the council during the French presidency.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (David Miliband) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary supplementary estimate, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office departmental expenditure limit (DEL) will be increased by £235,038,000 from £1,888,455,000 to £2,123,493,000. The administration budget will decrease by £9,424,000 from £870,060,000 to £860,636,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:

* The total of “Administration budget” and “Near-cash in Resource DEL” figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.

** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in estimates and accounts but which are treated as capital DEL in budgets.

Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from:

Request for Resources 1

Administration

A payment to the reserve of 9,424,000 as a result of the operation of the Overseas Pricing Mechanism.

Programme

Take up of £7,350,000 other current end-year flexibility for a capital transfer to MoD.

A claim on the reserve of £16,500,000 for consular premiums collected in the UK.

A claim on the reserve of £18,453,000 arising from the FCO/HMT 50:50 International Organisations cost-sharing agreement.

A claim on the reserve of £1,359,000 to increase grant to the British Council as a result of the operation of the overseas pricing mechanism.

A claim on the reserve of £151,000 for the Emergency Disaster Relief Fund.

A payment to the reserve of £5,568,000 programme grants as a result of the operation of the overseas pricing mechanism.

A transfer of £7,350,000 programme EYF expenditure to capital for operations in Afghanistan.

A transfer of £5,363,000 programme expenditure to Home Office for the Border and Immigration Agency.

A transfer of £5,000,000 programme expenditure to the Security and Intelligence Agencies

A transfer of £1,750,000 programme expenditure to Home Office for the Border and Immigration Agency to fund assisted voluntary returns.

A transfer of £100,000 programme expenditure to the Security and Intelligence Agencies for expansion and capability.

Neutral Changes

Increased other current expenditure of £20,000,000, fully offset by income, for consular and visa work.

A transfer of £15,000,000 from non-cash resource to near-cash resource expenditure in respect of release of restructuring provisions.

Capital

Take up of £31,300,000 end-year flexibility in respect of the FCO estate.

A claim on the reserve of £7,400,000 arising from the FCO/HMT 50:50 International Organisations cost sharing agreement.

A transfer of £22,396,000 capital expenditure from the Border and Immigration Agency for biometric passport equipment.

A transfer of £7,350,000 of programme EYF expenditure to capital for operations in Afghanistan.

A transfer of £7,350,000 capital expenditure to MoD for operations in Afghanistan.

A payment to the reserve of £282,000 as a result of the operation of the overseas pricing mechanism.

Neutral Changes

Increased expenditure of £5,300,000, fully offset by income

Request for Resources 2

Programme

Take-up of £6,850,000 Global Conflict Prevention Pool end-year flexibility.

A claim on the reserve of £95,845,000 for Africa peacekeeping.

A claim on the reserve of £61,603,000 for peacekeeping in the rest of the world.

A transfer of £3,413,000 programme expenditure from DfID for conflict prevention in Africa.

A transfer of £1,500,000 programme expenditure from DfID for conflict prevention in Sri Lanka.

A transfer of £31,000,000 programme expenditure to MoD for peacekeeping operations in the Balkans.

A transfer of £9,660,000 programme expenditure to DfID for planned global conflict prevention activity.

A transfer of £2,200,000 programme expenditure to the Security and Intelligence Agencies for expansion and capability.

A transfer of £1,500,000 programme expenditure to MoD for planned global conflict prevention activity.

A transfer of £50,000 programme expenditure to the Security and Intelligence Agencies for expansion and capability.

Neutral Changes

Increased expenditure of £2,500,000, fully offset by income from MoD, for Better Basra.

Increased expenditure of £2,500,000, fully offset by income from DfID, for Better Basra.

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Ivan Lewis) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

In May 2006, the Secretary of State announced details of an independent review of palliative care services for children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses and their families.

This independent review was an important piece of work. It offered us a crucial opportunity to look at current provision and consider what more can be done to improve the sustainability and accessibility of children’s palliative care services in both the statutory and voluntary sectors. The Government accepted and endorsed the recommendations contained in the review report and committed to the delivery of a first ever national strategy for children’s palliative care to meet the expectations of the review, of sector stakeholders and of children and families.

The strategy, which is launched today, sets out clear expectations for improving choice, access and continuity of care, and seeks to place palliative care at the centre of local children’s service provision. It highlights how commissioners, providers and teams of palliative care professionals can shape the provision of services to meet the needs of children, young people and their families. In addition, it emphasises the roles that each can play in providing child-focused, family-centred services and gives examples of what could be put in place to achieve this.

The policy sits as a framework for future service development. It seeks to highlight the key aspects of the independent review and challenge local areas to take this group of children more seriously. Accordingly, local areas will need to devise their own strategies and spend their money better to deliver more effective and more equitable services.

The findings of the Independent Review of Children’s Palliative Care Services and the cross-government programme Aiming High for Disabled Children are backed by a significant financial commitment to help deliver the step-change in service provision that is needed for these children, young people and their families, all of whom wish to pursue ordinary lives, achieve their full potential and make a contribution to society.

A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Home Office's departmental expenditure limits for 2007-08 will be increased by £8,068,000 from £9,247,819,000 to £9,255,887,000 and the administration budget will be reduced by £19,540,000 from £414,140,000 to £394,600,000

Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table

* The total of the “Administration Budget” and “Near cash in Resource DEL” figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.

** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in estimates and accounts but which are treated as capital DEL in budgets.

*** Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (David Miliband) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

On 17 February the Parliamentary Assembly of Kosovo was convened for an extraordinary session at which Prime Minister Thaçi read out Kosovo’s declaration of independence. The declaration made clear that Kosovo was a democratic, secular and multi-ethnic republic and that its leaders would promote the rights and participation of all communities in Kosovo. The declaration in particular committed Kosovo to implementing fully the obligations contained in UN Special Envoy Ahtisaari’s comprehensive proposal for a Kosovo status settlement, including its extensive minority safeguards. And the declaration invited and welcomed an international civilian presence to supervise implementation of the comprehensive proposal, an EU rule of law and police mission (EULEX) and a continuation of NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR). The declaration was endorsed by all parliamentary members present.

The declaration took place following exhaustive negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina aimed at finding a mutually agreed resolution to Kosovo’s status. UN Special Envoy Ahtisaari had presided over 14 months of intensive negotiations before concluding an agreement was out of reach. An EU-Russia-US troika facilitated an additional four months of talks, with EU member Ambassador Ischinger concluding that the parties would not be capable of reaching agreement if negotiations were to be continued, in whatever format.

My Statement of 11 December noted that, against this backdrop of inconclusive negotiations, almost all in the international community were agreed that the status quo in Kosovo was unsustainable. This is a point that had been underlined by the European Union, the UN Secretary General and the Contact Group. My Statement made clear that we could not therefore allow the status process to grind to a halt, having learned in the 1990s the cost of an indecisive international response to developments in the Balkans. In the view of the Government, it would be important for the EU to play a leading role in bringing the status process through to conclusion. The UN Special Envoy’s comprehensive proposal, balancing independence with strong minority safeguards and international supervision, remained in our view the only viable way forward.

Since my Statement, the Government have worked hard to ensure the necessary international community resolve and engagement to solve the Kosovo issue. The Government strongly support the decision at the December European Council that the EU should play a leading role in implementing a settlement defining Kosovo’s status.

Against this background, the General Affairs and External Relations Council met on 18 February, the day following Kosovo’s declaration of independence. EU Ministers agreed that the EU should play a leading role in strengthening stability in the region. The EU has given effect to this commitment through a series of steps:

in terms of ensuring security and justice sector reform, the EU has agreed on the deployment of an ESDP Policing and Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) consisting of 2,200 international personnel. This will be the largest civilian ESDP mission to date;

in terms of ensuring Kosovo’s political development and good governance, the EU has now agreed on the appointment of an EU Special Representative to Kosovo;

the EU has agreed to make a major contribution to the international civilian office which will oversee settlement implementation; and

the EU has committed itself to the promotion of Kosovo’s economic and political development. The Commission will use community instruments to take this forward and is planning to organise a donors conference.

EU Ministers were clear in their view that Kosovo constituted a sui generis case which did not set any precedent.

Taken together, these decisions amount to a clear and united EU approach towards contributing to Kosovo’s future and to delivering stability in the Western Balkans region. I welcome the leadership that the European Union has shown in tackling this European foreign policy challenge.

EU Ministers also discussed the issue of recognition. There was agreement that this is a matter for national governments and the Council acknowledged that it was for member states to decide, in accordance with national practice and international law, on their relations with Kosovo.

Bringing all these elements together—the unsustainable status quo; Kosovo’s commitment to the stringent safeguards in the UN Special Envoy’s comprehensive proposal; and the international support for settlement implementation and, increasingly, recognition—the Government consider that UK recognition of Kosovo is fully justified. Our firm view is that it is the best way of resolving Kosovo’s status, ensuring regional stability and solving this last remaining issue from the break-up of the former Yugoslavia. My right honourable friend the Prime Minister wrote to President Sejdiu on 18 February indicating to the Kosovo Government that the United Kingdom recognises Kosovo’s independence. I have also written to Prime Minister Thaçi proposing the establishment of diplomatic relations. At least 16 other countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the US and Turkey, have also either recognised Kosovo or indicated their intention to do so.

Kosovo’s independence will bring a long-awaited certainty and permanence to Kosovo’s identity, marking an end to nearly nine years of political and economic limbo But it will also be just the beginning of a challenging journey ahead, building a stable, sustainable, multi-ethnic and democratic country. It will be important for Kosovo’s Assembly and Government to adhere faithfully to the undertakings made in their declaration of independence. It will also be important for all sides to refrain from action that risks provoking or increasing ethnic tensions.

The UK will make a full contribution in support of Kosovo’s efforts. The UK will second approximately 70 personnel to the ESDP mission and about 10 to the International Civilian Office. We will maintain our current contribution of around 140 troops to KFOR as well as maintaining a battalion on stand-by as part of the NATO operational reserve force. And in terms of development, the UK has committed £23 million in bilateral assistance to Kosovo over the next three years.

As Kosovo moves forward, there will remain a need to address the regional dimension. We recognise how difficult an issue Kosovo’s independence is for Serbia. Despite the difference of view with Belgrade on Kosovo, the Government will remain keen to maintain a co-operative and warm bilateral relationship. We will also want to assist Serbia and the other countries of the region to move towards European standards and EU accession. The interim political agreement offered to Serbia following the January General Affairs and External Relations Council was a sign of the EU’s commitment to Serbia’s progress. There remains a compelling strategic case for enlargement to the western Balkans as a whole so that this region can share in the security, stability, and prosperity that the EU offers.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Des Browne) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the Ministry of Defence departmental expenditure limits (DEL) will be increased by £1,247,750,000 from £35,594,551,000 to £36,842,301,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:

* Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

The changes to the resource and capital elements of the DEL arise from:

the take-up of the department's end-year indirect resource flexibility totalling £1,621,874,000 to reflect latest TLB forecasts of outturn of indirect resource expenditure;

an increase in the RfR2 of £566,000,000 direct resource DEL and £380,650,000 capital DEL to reflect the forecast costs of peacekeeping operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Balkans;

the transfer of £424,000,000 indirect resource DEL from RfRI to RfR2 to cover depreciation, cost of capital and impairment forecasts with no overall impact on DEL;

a transfer out of £750,000 to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Rregulatory Reform;

the take-up of capital end-year flexibility (EYF) of £40,000,000 resulting from the sale of QinetiQ in 2005-06, as agreed with Treasury;

drawdown of £200,000,000 from the department's (unvoted) unallocated resource provision to reflect the increased (voted) indirect resource DEL forecast of outturn for RfR1 with no overall impact on DEL; and

resource and capital transfers in from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in respect of contributions to the Balkans Conflict Prevention Pool net costs, the Global Rest of the World Conflict Prevention Pool costs, and Afghanistan capital costs of £39,850,000.

The changes to resource DEL and capital DEL will lead to an increased net cash requirement of £894,351,000.

I am placing a copy of the Ministry of Defence Votes A 2008-09 in the Library of the House.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Des Browne) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

The Government have accepted the findings of the Review Board for Government Contracts as detailed in their report of the 2007 general review of the profit formula for non-competitive government contracts. The board's recommendations will be implemented with effect from 1 February 2008, in accordance with arrangements agreed between the Government and industry, recorded in an addendum to the published report. I will be placing a copy of the report in the Libraries of both Houses.

My right honourable friend the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary supplementary estimate, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Northern Ireland Court Service (NICS) and the National Archives (TNA) total departmental expenditure limit (DEL) will be increased as follows:

Total DEL for MoJ (RfR1, 2 & 3) is increased by £831,000 from £9,628,003,000 to £9,628,834,000 and the administration budget is decreased by £(233,327,000) from £712,716,000 to £479,389,000. This is due to a reclassification of administration budget to programme budget following discussions with HM Treasury.

Total DEL for NICS is increased by £15,918,000 from £130,570,000 to £146,488,000 and the administration budget is decreased by £(3,000,000). This is due to an increase in administration income.

Total DEL for the TNA has remained unchanged.

Within the Total DEL change for MoJ (RfR1, 2 & 3), the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:

* The total of “administration budget” and “near-cash in Resource DEL” figures may well be greater than total Resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.

** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in Estimates and accounts but which are treated as Capital DEL in budgets.

†Depreciation, which forms part of Resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since Capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

1) The change in the Resource and Capital DEL for the MoJ DEL arises from:

RfR1: To promote the development of a modern, fair, cost effective and efficient system of justice for all.

Resource Change: Admin (total decrease of £(235,177,000))

Reserve Claims:

An increase in resource DEL of £6,271,000 in respect to the Diana Princess of Wales inquest.

Other Increases:

An increase in resource DEL of £19,552,000 from the Home Office in relation to corporate costs following the Machinery of Government changes.

Decreases:

A decrease in admin budget of £(261,000,000) in relation to a switch between admin and programme spend following discussions with HM Treasury.

Resource Change: Programme (total increase of £320,018,000)

Reserve Claims:

An increase in resource DEL of £35,000,000 in relation to keeping prisoners in police cells under Operation Safeguard.

An increase in resource DEL of £15,000,000 in relation to providing extra 500 places for those committed to prison.

An increase in resource DEL of £5,000,000 in relation to the End of Custodial Licence Safeguard Programme.

Other Increases:

An increase in programme budget of £261,000,000 in relation to a switch between admin and programme spend following discussions with HM Treasury.

An increase in resource DEL of £2,000,000 from the Home Office in relation to CJIT.

An increase in resource DEL of £1,098,000 from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) in relation to education and learning skills for offenders and prisoners.

An increase in resource DEL of £920,000 in relation to a net transfer to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in respect of the Compass, Progress and ExiSSr1 projects.

Resource Change: Programme (total decrease of (£314,833,000))

Decreases:

A decrease in resource DEL of £(250,000,000) in relation to a transfer to HM Treasury in respect of the release of provisions within the Legal Services Commission. £(47,567,000) of this was voted DEL and £(202,403,000) was non-voted DEL.

A decrease in resource DEL of £(44,600,000) in relation to the Netting Off scheme agreed with HM Treasury.

A decrease in resource DEL of £(15,000,000) in relation to a transfer of non-cash to the Northern Ireland Court Service.

A decrease in resource DEL of £(3,000,000) in relation to a transfer to the CPS in respect of the victims surcharge.

A decrease in resource DEL of £(1,190,000) in relation to a transfer to the Welsh Assembly in respect of election costs.

A decrease in resource DEL of £(1,043,000) in relation to a transfer to the Department of Health in respect of prisoner healthcare costs.

Capital Change (total increase of £235,428,000)

Reserve Claims:

An increase in capital DEL of £60,000,000 in relation to the Prisoner Capacity Programme.

Take-up of End-Year Flexibility (EYF):

An increase in capital DEL of £131,000,000 in relation to the London Accommodation Programme (Queen Anne’s Gate).

An increase in capital DEL of £39,800,000 in relation to a variety of specific projects.

Other Increases:

An increase in capital DEL of £3,000,000 from the Home Office in respect of costs related to Phoenix House.

An increase in capital DEL of £1,628,000 from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) in respect of capital costs for the Case Flow Project.

RfR2: Overseeing the effective operation of the devolution settlement in Scotland and representing the interests of Scotland in the UK Government.

Resource Change: Admin (total increase of £900,000)

Take-up of End-Year Flexibility (EYF):

An increase in resource DEL of £900,000 in relation to a draw down of EYF.

RfR3: To support the Secretary of State in discharging his role of representing Wales in the UK Government, representing the UK Government in Wales and ensuring the smooth running of the devolution settlement in Wales.

Resource Change: Admin (total increase of £950,000)

Take-up of End-Year Flexibility (EYF):

An increase in resource DEL of £950,000 in relation to a drawdown of EYF.

There is no change in the capital DEL for RfR2 and RfR3

2) The change in the resource and capital DEL for the Northern Ireland Court Service (NICS) arises from:

Within the total DEL change for Northern Ireland Court Service, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:

* The total of “administration budget” and “near-cash in Resource DEL” figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.

† Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

Resource Change: Programme (total increase of £16,070,000)

Take-up of End-Year Flexibility (EYF):

An increase in resource DEL of £1,000,000 in relation to a drawdown of EYF.

Other Increases:

An increase in resource DEL of £15,000,000 from the MoJ in relation to a transfer of non-cash to NICS.

An increase in resource DEL of £70,000 in relation to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel for Northern Ireland changing its status from an NDPB to a business unit of NICS.

Resource Change: Programme (total decrease of £10,000)

Decreases:

A decrease in net resource DEL of £(10,000) in relation to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel for Northern Ireland changing its status from an NDPB to business unit of NICS switch of spending to capital from resource.

Capital Change (total decrease of £10,000)

Increases:

An increase in net capital DEL of £10,000 in relation to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel for Northern Ireland changing its status from an NDPB to business unit of NICS switch of spending to capital from resource.

Decreases:

A decrease in capital DEL of £(20,000) to cover costs related to the Northern Ireland Office for use of shared asset.

3) The National Archives are not submitting a Spring Supplementary Estimate.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Shaun Woodward) has made the following Ministerial Statement.

Subject to parliamentary approval the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) will be taking a 2007-08 Spring Supplementary Estimate. The effect this will have is to increase the NIO’s DEL by £39,813,000 from £1,353,675,000 to £1,393,488,000.

The change in total DEL of £39,813,000 relates to the drawdown of non-cash end-year flexibility (EYF) of £17,285,000; an increase of £18,102,000 in respect of curtailment costs and a change in the discount rate for police pensions; and resource and capital budget transfers with other government departments totalling £6,356,000.

The EYF drawdown is to fund additional non- cash resource requirements for compensation payment provisions in the Compensation Agency; pension scheme liabilities in the Youth Justice Agency; and asset revaluation costs in the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

The administration budget decreases by £116,000 from £81,869,000 to £81,753,000 as a result of resource budget transfers of £100,000 to the Department of Culture, Arts and Learning for Ordnance Survey mapping services and £16,000 to the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister for Stormont Castle messengers.

The increase in capital DEL of £35,000 is the budget transfer of £20,000 from the Northern Ireland Court Service for prison video links and £15,000 from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for prison healthcare costs.

The Northern Ireland Executive DEL will increase by £193,887,000 from £8,522,664,000 to £8,716,551,000.

The change reflects the drawdown of EYF of £105,000,000 (£75,000,000 near-cash and £30,000,000 capital) and an addition of £100,000,000 (£88,000,000 near-cash and £12,000,000 capital) for funding the water industry and innovation. In addition there are net outward budget transfers totalling £11,113,000 (£6,163,000 resource near-cash and £4,950,000 capital) to the Northern Ireland Office and HM Revenue and Customs.