§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what(a) percentage and (b) amounts of savings on her Department's running costs have been achieved in each year since 1998; and if she will make a statement. [88814]
§ Ms Hewitt[holding answer 7 January 2003]: Progress towards meeting with the Department's PSA target of annual savings of 2.5 per cent. of its administration costs has been published in its expenditure plans report since 2001.
In 1999–2000 the Department achieved a saving of 2.6 per cent. (£10.6 million) on projected costs of £406.6 million including savings from the introduction of the ELGAR and MANDRIN IT systems, from case handling in ACAS and the ETS and from savings relating to staff costs, postage and stationery and the re-scheduling of international payments.
In 2000–01 the Department achieved a saving of 4.6 per cent. of £19.3 million) on projected costs of £418.8 million including savings from better procurement procedures and from the development of IT systems.
Data for 2001/2002 is currently being collated and the results will be set out in the 2003 expenditure plans report, due to be published in the spring of 2003