§ Mr. IngramTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost of the Quigley review into the joint working arrangements of the research councils. [37396]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorCosts incurred by the working group on cross-council efficiency relate primarily to the time of group members from the office of science and technology and the research councils in respect of five meetings between August 1995 and January 1996, and widely distributed small proportions of staff time relating to data gathering and analysis. These costs could be calculated only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. IngramTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how much the research councils will contribute to the funding of the procurement function resulting from the Quigley review; and what savings have been projected for each of the research councils as a result of the new procurement arrangements over the next five years. [37397]
§ Mr. TaylorThe intention is that improvements in the procurement function resulting from the Quigley review should be self-financing.
The Quigley review saw scope for potential savings in the region of £1.75 million from spending on payroll systems, travel and subsistence and computer support. A group of senior representatives of the research councils, chaired by the office of science and technology, has been set up to implement the recommendations of the Quigley review. The group has already begun the process of recruiting a procurement adviser. One of the tasks of the adviser will be to identify specific savings in all areas of procurement.