This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8398116.stm

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Brown unveils £3bn more 'savings' Brown unveils £3bn more 'savings'
(20 minutes later)
Gordon Brown has said technology such as crime maps and online school reports will cut bureaucracy, as Labour attempts to halve the Budget deficit.Gordon Brown has said technology such as crime maps and online school reports will cut bureaucracy, as Labour attempts to halve the Budget deficit.
Ahead of Wednesday's pre-Budget report, the PM said "efficiency savings" would help to save £12bn over four years - £3bn more than planned in the Budget.Ahead of Wednesday's pre-Budget report, the PM said "efficiency savings" would help to save £12bn over four years - £3bn more than planned in the Budget.
Chancellor Alistair Darling has said he will "indicate" some cuts on Wednesday but not deliver a full spending review. He said overpaid public sector workers would be "named and shamed" and more civil servants moved out of London.
The Conservatives say the government is not being straight on the cuts needed.The Conservatives say the government is not being straight on the cuts needed.
The government has delayed its planned comprehensive spending review until after a general election.The government has delayed its planned comprehensive spending review until after a general election.
'Third generation' 'Culture of excess'
In the pre-Budget report, Mr Darling is expected to confirm annual borrowing will top £175bn. The government has promised to halve this within four years. In the pre-Budget report, Mr Darling is expected to confirm annual borrowing will top £175bn - which the government has promised to halve within four years.
In his speech in central London, Mr Brown said ministers had identified £3bn in additional efficiency savings since the Budget in April.In his speech in central London, Mr Brown said ministers had identified £3bn in additional efficiency savings since the Budget in April.
Of that, £1.3bn over four years would be achieved by streamlining central government, he said, indicating that certain programmes would have to be delayed or abandoned.Of that, £1.3bn over four years would be achieved by streamlining central government, he said, indicating that certain programmes would have to be delayed or abandoned.
We need to do what households up and down the country do to prioritise the necessities and postpone the things we can do without Prime Minister Gordon Brown Banks 'face windfall bonuses tax' NHS IT system to be scaled backWe need to do what households up and down the country do to prioritise the necessities and postpone the things we can do without Prime Minister Gordon Brown Banks 'face windfall bonuses tax' NHS IT system to be scaled back
Government spending on consultants would be cut by half and communication spending by a quarter - saving £650m - while more Civil Service staff would be relocated from London to "cheaper" premises.Government spending on consultants would be cut by half and communication spending by a quarter - saving £650m - while more Civil Service staff would be relocated from London to "cheaper" premises.
Whitehall departments could set up "common spending policies" and share office space, as part of a "third generation of changes in public services".Whitehall departments could set up "common spending policies" and share office space, as part of a "third generation of changes in public services".
In its report, Putting The Front Line First, the government points out there are now 4,300 senior civil servants compared with 3,100 in the mid-1990s.In its report, Putting The Front Line First, the government points out there are now 4,300 senior civil servants compared with 3,100 in the mid-1990s.
Mr Brown said public sector workers earning an "over-generous" salary would be "named and shamed". Mr Brown said public sector workers earning an "over-generous" salary would be "named and shamed", as many had "lost touch" with normality.
He added that the government could utilise technological advances to make services more user-friendly and cheaper. He said: "Money which should be spent on health, on schools, on policing and on social services is, in some cases, going on excessive salaries and unjustified bonuses, far beyond the expectation of the majority of workers.
As an example, he said using text messages to remind patients about GP appointments could help save up to £600m a year wasted on missed visits. "This culture of excess must change and will change."
He added that the government would use technological advances to make services more user-friendly and cheaper.
As an example, sending text messages to remind patients about GP appointments could help save up to £600m a year wasted on missed visits.
The public needed more "feedback and interaction" when using services, such as crime maps and giving parents online details of children's progress at school, he added.The public needed more "feedback and interaction" when using services, such as crime maps and giving parents online details of children's progress at school, he added.
'Further than before''Further than before'
Mr Brown promised to bring more such details on to the internet by next year.Mr Brown promised to bring more such details on to the internet by next year.
The government would be "relentless" in finding new ways to save money and take the "tough decisions" needed to realise them, he added.
"The proposals we are setting out in this plan - which is just one element of our efforts to reduce the deficit - will go further than we have ever gone before in streamlining central government," Mr Brown said."The proposals we are setting out in this plan - which is just one element of our efforts to reduce the deficit - will go further than we have ever gone before in streamlining central government," Mr Brown said.
"We have already promised savings of £35bn a year by 2011 on top of the £26.5bn a year already delivered through the Gershon [spending] review."We have already promised savings of £35bn a year by 2011 on top of the £26.5bn a year already delivered through the Gershon [spending] review.
"But by identifying new ways of working - and being prepared to make the tough choices - we can deliver in excess of another £12bn in efficiency savings over the next four years."But by identifying new ways of working - and being prepared to make the tough choices - we can deliver in excess of another £12bn in efficiency savings over the next four years.
"This includes £3bn of new efficiency savings identified since the Budget - of which over £1.3bn will come from streamlining central government.""This includes £3bn of new efficiency savings identified since the Budget - of which over £1.3bn will come from streamlining central government."
Banker bonuses Chancellor Alistair Darling told BBC One's Andrew Marr show on Sunday that public spending would be "a lot tighter than it was in the past" as a result.
The chancellor told BBC One's Andrew Marr show on Sunday that public spending would be "a lot tighter than it was in the past" as a result.
He said parts of the troubled £12bn NHS IT system would be delayed as it "isn't essential to the front line" - a move thought likely to save hundreds of millions of pounds, although the exact details will be spelled out later this week.He said parts of the troubled £12bn NHS IT system would be delayed as it "isn't essential to the front line" - a move thought likely to save hundreds of millions of pounds, although the exact details will be spelled out later this week.
Mr Darling said the full details of spending cuts would not be revealed until "the first half of next year at some point".Mr Darling said the full details of spending cuts would not be revealed until "the first half of next year at some point".
Meanwhile, as part of plans to tackle the deficit in public finances, the Treasury is working on a possible windfall tax on what it sees as the exceptional profits of banks or the excessive bonuses of bankers.Meanwhile, as part of plans to tackle the deficit in public finances, the Treasury is working on a possible windfall tax on what it sees as the exceptional profits of banks or the excessive bonuses of bankers.
But the Conservatives say the government is still not revealing the full extent of cuts needed to tackle Britain's debts.But the Conservatives say the government is still not revealing the full extent of cuts needed to tackle Britain's debts.
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne said he would protect NHS and international development spending but the rest of Whitehall would face "very difficult choices" if the Tories won power. Shadow chancellor George Osborne said he would protect NHS and international development spending but the rest of Whitehall would face "very difficult choices" if the Tories won power.
The party has also called for a moratorium on all government computer projects, claiming Labour has spent £100bn on IT since 1997 and that contracts worth another £70bn are due to be renewed or commissioned in the next two years.The party has also called for a moratorium on all government computer projects, claiming Labour has spent £100bn on IT since 1997 and that contracts worth another £70bn are due to be renewed or commissioned in the next two years.