§ 40. Mr. FlynnTo ask the Chairman of the Finance and Services Committee what new proposals he has to reduce the costs for which the House of Commons Commission are responsible.
§ Mr. ChannonAs part of its responsibility to improve the financial management of House Departments and to prepare the draft estimates for the House of Commons votes, the Finance and Services Committee continually seeks to improve the value for money of services provided to the House. Recent initiatives by House Departments which it has supported include revised arrangements for564W the telephone operator service and the introduction of least-cost routing; and the use of desk-top publishing in the Refreshment Department. The Committee has asked the Administration Committee to study the provision of documents, stationery, and office supplies to hon. Members with a view to reducing costs, and looks forward to receiving its recommendations. Other areas of expenditure will be examined in due course in consultation with the relevant domestic committees, Heads of Department and the internal auditor.
The level of expenditure on House services is affected by the degree of activity of the House, its Committees and individual Members. This matter is reviewed in more detail in the Fifteenth Annual Report of the Commission, to be published on 6 September as House of Commons Paper No. 820.