Written Answers. - Appropriations-in-Aid.
Derek McDowell
Question:
134
Mr. McDowell
asked the
Minister for Finance
if he will give a breakdown of the assumptions and projections for appropriations-in-aid as set out in Table 1 of Budget 2000 Statistics and Tables; if he will specify any assumptions or projections concerning the PRSI element of these appropriations-in-aid; and the implications of these projections for future flows into and out of the Social Welfare Fund.
[14620/00]
A breakdown by ministerial vote group of the current and capital appropriations-in-aid figures as given in Table 1 of the budget 2000 statistics and tables booklet is given in the following tables.
The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs accounts for the largest part of the total current appropriations-in-aid. This is due to the fact that the appropriations-in-aid figures for that Department include receipts in respect of PRSI contributions. This is dealt with in more detail later.
The Department of Health and Children accounts for the next largest part of the total current appropriations-in-aid. The main element, approximately two thirds of that Department's appropriations-in-aid is receipts from health contributions. These take account of the full-year impact of the increase in the rate from 1.25% to 2% introduced in budget 1999 in the context of the elimination of the 1% employment and training levy. They also take account of the increase in the income threshold for the health levy announced in budget 2000. The other main elements in the Health appropriations-in-aid figures are payments from the UK authorities as recoupment in respect of Irish emigrants to the UK who have returned home and who had built-up health and welfare entitlements while working in the UK and estimated receipts, £132 million in 2000, in respect of the increase in the excise duty on tobacco announced in budget 2000 which will be paid by the Revenue Commissioners directly to the Department of Health and Children to help fund the increasing cost of health services provision.
After Health and Children, the Departments with the next largest share of current appropriations-in-aid are Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and Education and Science. The main elements of both of those Departments current appropriations-in-aid are accounted for by receipts from the EU in respect of programme expenditure co-funded respectively from the FEOGA, Guarantee, Fund and the European Social Fund. The projected EU receipts for both of these Departments take account of the provisions of the national development plan relevant to their areas.
The appropriations-in-aid for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment include estimated receipts in respect of the new national training levy announced in budget 2000. The receipts from the levy, £120 million in a full year, will be collected by the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and will be paid to the National Training Fund under the control of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The receipts from the levy are paid by way of appropriations-in-aid to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
The rest of the current appropriations-in-aid are spread across the other Government Departments and offices and cover a wide variety of sources. Most commonly appropriations-in-aid arise in respect of fees or charges raised for the provision of certain services, for example, TV licence fees and charges at national parks and national monuments under the Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands Vote, revenue from sale of maps and royalty fees at the Ordnance Survey, etc. Full details of all appropriations-in-aid are provided in the 2000 revised estimates volume which was published on 22 March 2000.
The majority of the capital appropriations-in-aid relate to EU receipts, mainly under the Departments of the Marine and Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.
Appropriations-in-aid for the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs. As outlined the largest portion of the figure for the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs arises from receipts of PRSI contributions. For the years in question, it is estimated that PRSI income will be in excess of that needed to meet expenditure from the Social Insurance Fund. Since 1997 the Social Insurance Fund has been self financing and additional income is added to the ongoing surplus on the fund. At budget time, the cumulative Social Insurance Fund surplus at end 2000 was estimated at £400 million; developments in the meantime, particularly ongoing PRSI buoyancy, indicate that the cumulative surplus at the end of this year will be £600 million.
Current Voted Expenditure
Appropriations-in-Aid 1999 – 2002
Breakdown by Ministerial Vote Group
(As Published in Table 1 of 2000 Budget Booklet)
|
1999
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
|
Outturn
|
Estimate
|
Projection
|
Projection
|
Ministerial Vote Group
|
A-in-A
|
A-in-A
|
A-in-A
|
A-in-A
|
|
£000
|
£000
|
£000
|
£000
|
1 Taoiseach
|
1,069
|
1,175
|
1,100
|
1,065
|
2 Finance
|
56,121
|
66,391
|
66,987
|
67,185
|
3 Public Enterprise
|
13,246
|
13,455
|
10,608
|
10,948
|
4 Justice, Equality & Law Reform
|
20,264
|
27,307
|
21,414
|
21,297
|
5 Environment & Local Government
|
17,127
|
18,043
|
15,541
|
15,815
|
6 Education & Science
|
185,301
|
236,019
|
151,954
|
137,874
|
7 Marine and Natural Resources
|
9,872
|
11,939
|
9,722
|
8,798
|
8 Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
|
292,315
|
273,091
|
300,378
|
281,620
|
9 Enterprise, Trade and Employment
|
14,226
|
161,564
|
135,000
|
135,100
|
10 Tourism, Sport and Recreation
|
6,523
|
23,791
|
46,281
|
28,200
|
11 Defence
|
18,690
|
20,060
|
19,650
|
15,770
|
12 Foreign Affairs
|
770
|
500
|
500
|
500
|
13 Social, Community and Family Affairs
|
2,282,716
|
2,470,576
|
2,628,836
|
2,724,336
|
14 Health and Children
|
519,633
|
798,136
|
801,100
|
833,600
|
15 Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands
|
77,989
|
80,858
|
80,312
|
81,801
|
Total
|
3,515,862
|
4,202,905
|
4,289,383
|
4,363,909
|
Capital Voted Expenditure
Appropriations-in-Aid 1999 – 2002
Breakdown by Department
(As Published in Table 1 of 2000 Budget Booklet)
Department
|
1999Outurn
|
2000Estimate
|
2001NPC
|
2002NPC
|
The Environment and Local Government
|
7,237
|
7,491
|
5,980
|
5,862
|
Marine and Natural Resources
|
47,829
|
58,847
|
51,125
|
49,182
|
Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
|
22,347
|
14,361
|
22,068
|
8,372
|
Enterprise Trade and Employment
|
|
17,000
|
13,000
|
8,500
|
Defence
|
250
|
50
|
50
|
50
|
National Gallery
|
|
|
1,000
|
1,000
|
Totals
|
77,663
|
97,749
|
93,223
|
72,966
|