Treasury Minister questioned about Smarter Government
25 February 2010 (updated on 22 April 2010)
The Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) hears from Liam Byrne MP, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, about the Government’s plans for "Smarter Government" as part of its inquiry into public administration and the fiscal squeeze. Watch live from 10am.
- Video and Audio: Smarter Government
- Public Administration Select Committee
- Report: Smarter Government (PDF) (external site)
The Government’s Smarter Government report (published December 2009) set out a number of proposed reforms that aim to make government work more efficiently and result in £12 billion of savings in public spending. PASC will focus on the implications of those reforms for central government and public services.
The session is expected to cover the following issues:
- The level and nature of expected cuts to public spending (both the savings announced in the Smarter Government report and wider expenditure cuts)
- Possible effects on the size and organisation of central government and the civil service, especially in light of the Smarter Government report’s intention to "streamline" government and create a “sharper, leaner” centre of government
- Implications for public services, in particular the Government’s commitment to “empower” people by giving them firm entitlements to public service provision
PASC’s short inquiry into 'Public Administration and the Fiscal Squeeze' is looking at how ministers and public servants can conduct the business of government most effectively in the face of likely future public spending cuts.
PASC’s particular focus is the impact of the current economic situation on government administration and public services, rather than on the economics of deficit reduction.