§ Mr. RookerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the value-for-money savings in his Department's operations identified by internal audit and internal efficiency arrangements, and by external audit and by management consultants retained by his Department between 1983–84 and 1988–89; and what is the amount of those savings fulfilled to date.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe improvements resulting from inquiries and studies of the kind mentioned are taken into account in the setting of annual budgets and internal targets. The results are not collated centrally within the Department.
§ Mr. RookerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what mechanisms exist in his Department for identifying and tracking value-for-money savings in its operations.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Department maintains a general efficiency programme, as well as other mechanisms for ensuring that its activities are conducted in an economic, efficient and effective manner. Each of the systems has appropriate monitoring and follow-up procedures. These are not designed to identify value-for-money savings separately from other improvements, not all of which are quantifiable.