Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Oral Answers to Questions

John Penrose Excerpts
Thursday 16th June 2011

(13 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Philip Hollobone Portrait Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)
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15. What efficiencies in the administration of his Department he plans to make in the next 12 months.

John Penrose Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (John Penrose)
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Our aim is to reduce the Department’s administrative spend by 50% during the life of this Parliament. We have already reduced the pay bill by £3 million from 2010-11 through a voluntary redundancy scheme, and a programme to deliver further savings is in place.

Philip Hollobone Portrait Mr Hollobone
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What methods are being engaged to expose yet further efficiencies that have not already been identified?

John Penrose Portrait John Penrose
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We continually keep everything under review, as would be expected. We have identified a number of particular points that I hope will satisfy my hon. Friend, including Ministers not using the Government car service, which will save about £250,000 a year, reducing hospitality expenditure by about £60,000 a year, and cutting spend on travel by about £30,000 a year. We will continue to scrutinise very carefully to find other such examples.

Caroline Lucas Portrait Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion) (Green)
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17. Whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on the contribution of media training programmes to the rehabilitation of women in prison.