§ 22. Mr. Eggarasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to introduce the new Maxis system into his Department.
§ Mr. KingMaxis budgeting is already under way with a view to full implementation from 1 April this year.
§ Mr. EggarI congratulate my right hon. Friend on the development work that has gone on within his Department, and on his personal commitment to the 897 development of this important management and accounting tool. What is his Department doing to ensure that this system and the Minis system are adopted in other Departments?
§ Mr. KingThat is a difficult question for me to answer. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his opening remarks, and I congratulate him on the close interest that he is taking. He may like to know that one of my first interests on taking over my new responsibilities was to look at the operating budget of my Department for the coming year. Thanks in good measure to the work of officials and my predecessor as Secretary of State for the Environment, I anticipate that the administrative costs of running my Department next year will be, in cash terms, 5 per cent. less than it was two years ago, and that is after absorbing 10 per cent. inflation.