HC Deb 01 December 1992 vol 215 cc96-7W
Mr. Sproat

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The planned efficiency saving on Home Office running costs for the present financial year is £24.7 million, or 1.7 per cent. of the estimated outturn on running costs. The Home Office has already made

Home Office: Running cost efficiency. savings for the first half of 1992–93 financial year
Department 1991–92 (first half) running cost efficiency savings (£k) Achieved through
Prison service 6,056 Increased manpower productivity.
Police department 7,000 Rationalisation of maintenance resources and savings from relocation in the Directorate of Telecommunications, civilianisation in District Training Centres and economies of scale in the Police National Computer Organisation.
Criminal and research and statistics departments 101 Productivity gains in the Attendance Centre Network, computerisation of drugs related activities and the more effective use of human and computer resources in statistical analysis.
Immigration and nationality department 35 Relocation savings and productivity gains in nationality and citizenship activities.
Finance department 263 Productivity savings in Budget Support Group and improvements in purchasing and supply management in the Home Office Procurement Unit.
Fire department 377 Contracting out of maintenance and storage of the Emergency Fire Service and staff efficiency savings.
Establishment department 536 Productivity savings in Personnel Management Division and computerisation and increased productivity at ED5 (computers and payroll).
Forensic science service 200 Improved caseworking productivity.
Passport agency 120 Improved purchasing methods and better stock control.
Total Home Office running cost efficiency savings 14,688