§ Mr. SproatTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress he has made in achieving the target of a reduction of 1.5 per cent. in his Department's running costs for the present financial year, in the first half of this financial year; and what specifically has been saved, by what means and in what areas of his responsibility.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe Department is well on the way to achieving its target of 1.5 per cent. efficiency savings in 1992–93. Approximately £66 million has already been achieved to meet the cash target of £78 million and we expect to exceed that by around £20 million by the end of the year.
The main achievement in efficiency measures to date include, within the Benefits Agency, staff savings from computerisation of IS and pensions. Better education for the Contributions Agency's customers has led to greater efficacy in NIC collection whilst further savings have been made in the transfer of work from IT consultants to civil servants and contractors.