Spring Supplementary Estimates 2007-08

The Spring Supplementary Estimates presented to the House of Commons yesterday seek authority for expenditure by government departments of £16.3bn in resources and £7.6bn in cash. The Estimates seek parliamentary authority for increased resources and cash both for existing services and for any necessary new services.

These Estimates do not involve any change in total spending plans because any increases sought have either been offset by savings elsewhere in departmental programmes, charged to the Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL) Reserve or represent shifts against the Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) Margin. Since the Reserve and the Margin are part of Total Managed Expenditure, the planned public expenditure total remains unchanged.

Within the overall increase there is a charge to the DEL Reserve of £4.1 bn (£2.66bn resource and £1.47bn capital), of which £1.8bn (£0.90 bn resource and £0.90bn capital) relates to take up of End Year Flexibility entitlements (provision carried forward from previous years), and an increase of £8.4 bn in the departmental programmes within AME.

Notes to editors

1. HM Treasury’s Spring Supplementary Estimate, as with all the other Estimates, was completed before the announcement regarding Northern Rock. The implications of the announcement for the Treasury’s voted Supply provision are being assessed and a Revised Spring Supplementary Estimate will, if necessary, be presented to Parliament within the next few days.

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