§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the cost to public funds, including the cost of management initiatives, hardware, software and retraining, of changing to common form the differing installations and practices developed by the former Departments of the Environment and of Transport for their internal financial and other information systems, staff records and pay and grading systems. [11944]
§ Angela EagleFinal decisions have not yet been taken on the future of all these systems. It is expected that over time the merger will result in overall reductions in the running costs of the new Department.
§ Mr. BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions by what proportions and with what direct full-year consequences in annual cost to public funds, the aggregate staff expressed in full-time equivalents of the former Departments of the Environment and of Transport have been reduced in 1995–96 and 1996–97; and what are the estimated figures for(a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99. [11945]
§ Angela EagleThe most recent published information is contained in the respective 1997 annual reports of the former departments of the Environment and of Transport, which show that staff numbers and the associated running costs were as follows:
1995–96 (outturn) 1996–97 (estimated) 1997–98 (planned) 1998–99 (planned) Department of Environment Aggregate staff (FTE) 4,527 3,846 3,755 3,667 Year on year percentage change — 15 -2 -2 Associated running costs (£ million) 226 229 204 198 Year on year percentage change — +1 -11 -3 Department of Transport Aggregate staff (FTE) 8,532 7,704 7,649 7,550 Year on year percentage change — -10 -1 -1 Associated running costs (£ million) 395 401 373 354 Year on year percentage change — +2 -7 -5
§ Mr. BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was his initial estimate of the cost to public funds of reintegrating the former Departments of the Environment and of Transport. [11882]
§ Angela EagleThe estimated costs of the merger are still being prepared. These will depend on decisions regarding the systems to be adopted and the structure of the new Department. It is expected that over time the merger will result in overall reductions to running costs.
§ Mr. BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the initial estimate of costs at current prices of separating a Department of Transport from the Department of the Environment in 1976. [11883]
§ Angela EagleAt this distance in time the information required to answer the question is no longer available.