year, a document tabled in Parliament revealed yesterday.

But Finance Minister Eugene Cox said yesterday the only Progressive Labour Party initiative among them was for the Cabinet Office to spend an extra $20,000 on an aide for new Premier Jennifer Smith.

Mr. Cox tabled the Supplementary Estimate of $10.1 million for 1998/9 in the morning session of the House of Assembly.

But he explained last night that only half that figure was new spending -- taking this year's expected Budget surplus from $36.3 million back to $31.3 million.

And the $71.6 million already in the Budget for bricks-and-mortar projects -- the capital account -- was only in line for a $1.03 million boost from the new funds, he said.

The Works and Engineering Department's reconstruction of the Somerset Bridge takes up $950,000 of that sum and the rest will go toward emergency dispatch communications equipment for the Fire Service.

Mr. Cox said funds for any PLP schemes except the Premier's aide, including those announced in the Throne Speech, would have to come from the 1999/2000 budget.

He said the $10.1 million estimate figure was deceptive -- a point proved on news broadcasts last night which mistakenly claimed Government spending had run over budget by $10 million.

"Just over half this money was already allotted in the Budget but it needs to be transferred between departments due to the former government's reallocation of ministerial portfolios,'' Mr. Cox explained.

"Parliament now has to authorise the reorganisation of funds for the new ministries that were created. That leaves around $5 million of new, additional money to meet overruns on projects that were budgeted for, but not enough funds were given.

"Technically this Bill has to be passed in the House before the money can be appropriated or spent.'' He said just over $5.1 million -- or 51 percent of the total Supplementary Estimate -- would simply be reshuffled between departments.

"It's not additional money in those cases, its just the authorisation to transfer the money.''