Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 March 2011, Official Report, columns 9-10W, 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 six public bodies within his Department's area of responsibility and (b) the change in function of one such body.
Answer
[holding answer 21 March 2011]: The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General (Mr Maude) issued a written ministerial statement on 16 March 2011, Official Report, columns 9-10W, updating Parliament on progress on public bodies reform. That statement also announced that Government Departments estimate cumulative administrative savings of at least £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies reform over the spending review period.The Department for Transport provided estimated net administrative savings from reform of its public bodies to the Cabinet Office for inclusion in the 16 March announcement. These figures are subject to ongoing refinement as the detail of the changes to all bodies has not yet been finalised, but anticipated overall net administrative savings are around £21 million over the spending review period (2011-12 to 2014-15). This figure takes account of the cost of additional departmental responsibilities as a result of the changes.