HL Deb 15 June 2004 vol 662 cc65-6WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why, according to the Departmental Report 2004 of the Cabinet Office (CM 6226, April 2004), total net administration costs for the Cabinet Office have almost doubled between 1998–99 and 2002–03. [HL2654]

Lord Bassam of Brighton

The increase in net administration costs for the Cabinet Office between 1998–99 and 2002–03 is due to a number of factors:

  • functions transferred into the Cabinet Office;
  • consequential increased accommodation expenditure;
  • extra costs of security and resilience after September 2001;
  • an expansion of the Cabinet Office role in improving delivery and reform in public services;
  • additional investment in e-government projects.

The Departmental Report shows how the Cabinet Office is making good progress towards the delivery of its public service agreement targets and sets out details of activity in areas, such as security, where spend has increased. The report also explains that Cabinet Office is on course to achieve savings on administrative resources.