Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he plans to (a) implement and (b) cancel efficiency savings budgeted for by the previous Government for (i) his Department and (ii) departmental arm's length bodies; and what plans he has for further such efficiency savings.

Decisions regarding budgets for this year were set in the last spending review and for future years will be a matter for the upcoming comprehensive spending review which my department is engaging in. The uncovering of £22bn of in-year hidden pressures has added to the strain on departmental budgets as set out by the Chancellor to parliament on 30 July.