Oral Answers to Questions

David Rutley Excerpts

Monday 4th April 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Robert Halfon. He is not here. I therefore call David Rutley to ask Question 21.

[David Rutley (Macclesfield) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I apologise. The hon. Member for Harlow (Robert Halfon) has just entered the Chamber. He is only just in time, but he is here.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

I call Mr David Rutley, whose patience is rewarded.

[David Rutley (Macclesfield) (Con)]

21. What mechanisms his Department is using to achieve efficiency savings in its budget for 2011-12.

[The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles)]

My Department will deliver efficiency savings in the next financial year by driving down our core running costs and through key contracts that have been renegotiated. This is expected to deliver efficiency savings of around £11 million: £4.2 million from information technology, £6.5 million from buildings and £0.6 million from facilities management.

[David Rutley]

I welcome the steps that the Secretary of State is taking to realise efficiency savings and improve accountability and transparency. Does my right hon. Friend agree that more must be done to create a real value-for-money culture in more local councils in the country, and that that aim should feature more strongly in public servants’ objectives so that it is reflected in their work in the communities and for council tax payers?

[Mr Pickles]

My hon. Friend makes a reasonable point. It is particularly important for my Department to take a lead. That is why we have been so keen to reduce the central costs of our budgets and to take a lead in reorganising the Department to recognise its changing role, whereby it no longer dictates to local government, but tries to enable more power to go to local communities.