Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 March 2011, Official Report, columns 9-10WS, on the public bodies reform programme, what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department net of costs incurred in the assumption of additional departmental responsibilities to accrue from (a) the abolition of 11 public bodies within his Department's area of responsibility, (b) the merger of eight such bodies and (c) the change in function of three such bodies.
Answer
[holding answer 21 March 2011]: The decision to reform our public bodies was taken in order to achieve the aims of the Government's public bodies reform programme to deliver greater accountability, reduce the number and overall cost of public bodies and streamline the public bodies landscape.On 16 March 2011, Official Report, columns 9-10WS, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), issued a written ministerial statement updating Parliament on progress on public bodies reform. That statement also announced that Departments estimate cumulative administrative savings of at least £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies over the spending review period. DCMS's share of this is estimated at £206 million.We expect our public body reforms to generate further administrative savings and will monitor this closely as the reforms are implemented.