questionText: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether provisions are in place for the independent audit of efficiency savings reported by departments in line with the Government Efficiency Framework to ensure that non-cash-releasing savings are not used as a method to (a) defer costs to future years and (b) reduce essential services.
answerText: The Government Efficiency Framework, published in July 2023, sets out what an efficiency is and how it should be categorised, including the difference between technical and allocative efficiencies. It states that an efficiency should not mean deferring co...
heading: Government Departments: Cost Effectiveness