We questioned whether the government’s plan to save £500 million on operating costs by 2025 was ambitious enough, noting that it only represents approximately a 2% reduction.55 Cabinet Office officials told us the target was a cautious one and that it might be able to save more. It explained that department officials had spoken to government organisations and were confident that £500 million could be saved from specific initiatives, including efforts by the GPA and the Department for Work and...

We questioned whether the government’s plan to save £500 million on operating costs by 2025 was ambitious enough, noting that it only represents approximately a 2% reduction.55 Cabinet Office officials told us the target was a cautious one and that it might be able to save more. It explained that department officials had spoken to government organisations and were confident that £500 million could be saved from specific initiatives, including efforts by the GPA and the Department for Work and Pensions.56 It was possible that other government bodies, such as the NHS, might also be able to generate additional savings. The Cabinet Office also po Type: conclusion | Number: 21 | Response status: not_addressed Government response: 6. PAC conclusion: Government’s plan to reduce the operating costs of the government estate is not sufficiently ambitious. 6.1 The government notes the Committee’s conclusion. 6.2 The NAO confirmed the overall success of the 2018 Government Estate Strategy in unl