The Scottish Government

1. Portfolio/Number/Name:EYP/C3 Savings from EYP central government expenditure.

2. Programme/Activity:

In the 2004 Spending Review, efficiencies emerged from EYP central government expenditure through the decision to hold specific budget baselines constant at 2005-06 levels despite inflationary pressure and the ongoing requirement to deliver established policy commitments. The efficiency is the total amount by which those budget would otherwise have increased in line with inflation.

3. Efficiency

3.1 Current target; £m

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

Cash

0.0

4.2

9.8

Time

0.0

0

0

3.2 Efficiencies delivered; £m

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

Cash

0

-

-

Time

0

-

-

4. Accountable Officer for delivery

Colin MacLean, Head of Department

5. Project Manager

Joe Brown

6. EGDD Portfolio Manager

Fiona Page

7. Description of efficiency and actions to be taken

7.1 What is the efficiency improvement? How will the efficiencies be made?

Efficiencies emerged from EYP central government expenditure, through the decision to hold specific budget baselines constant at 2005-06 levels despite inflationary pressure and the ongoing requirement to deliver established policy commitments.

7.2 What are the main actions that are needed to secure the delivery of this efficiency improvement?

Delivery of established policy commitments within existing programme baselines. Individual policy managers will devise and implement innovative methods to enable specific policy initiatives and outcomes to be delivered with no growth in budget in real terms.

8. Associated costs

8.1 Are there any development or redundancy costs associated with the delivery of this efficiency saving?

No

9. Measurement

9.1 What are the inputs that will be measured?

The SR 2004 decisions on relevant expenditure and savings related to the following budgets:

The saving is the amount by which that budget would otherwise have increased in line with inflation. Budget allocations change over time and relevant information is quantifiable and readily available.

9.2 What are the outputs that will be measured?

Efficiency benefits will be measured in terms of costs.

9.3 What is the baseline for inputs and outputs?

2004/05 is the baseline against which inputs (level of expenditure) and outputs (service delivery data) will be compared.

10. Quality cross-check

10.1 What quality indicators are being used to ensure that quality of service is maintained or improved?

Due to the nature of the saving no separate quality indicators are being put in place. Established indicators will continue to provide evidence of quality of service delivery.

11. Monitoring

11.1 What are the arrangements for monitoring the delivery of efficiencies?

Established monitoring and reporting procedures will be used to measure the delivery of efficiency savings.

12. Reporting

12.1 What are the arrangements for reporting the delivery of efficiencies?

Ministers and the Departmental Management Board receive progress reports at least on a quarterly basis.

13. Dependencies

13.1 Explain if your efficiencies are dependant on legislation or other structural changes being achieved.

Efficiencies are not necessarily dependant on legislation or other structural changes being achieved.

14. Use of efficiencies

14.1 How are the efficiencies released from improvement activity being used to improve front-line services?

This efficiency was assumed as part of the allocation made by the Scottish Executive to the aforementioned programmes. This freed up resources for Ministers to allocate to their priorities.