2007 Pre-Budget Report and Comprehensive Spending Review
9 October 2007
CAB/083/07
A strong and effective centre for government
Over the 2007 CSR
period, the Cabinet Office will continue to lead efforts to build
Government services around the needs of citizens and to tackle the drivers
of social exclusion experienced by adults in the UK.
As announced at Budget 2006, the Cabinet Office will be given access to a
£12m Modernisation Fund to enable it to take forward ambitious value for
money and service transformation programmes generating annual net
cash-releasing savings of over £35m by 2010-11. This allows the department
to deliver key priorities within budgets that reduce in real terms by 3 per
cent each year from 2008 to 2011 and build on efficiencies already made
over the Spending Review 2004 period.
The Chancellor today confirmed, following progress on the review into the
future role of the third sector, £80 million would be allocated to the
Office of the Third Sector to help set-up and run a programme for
micro-grants to help projects in local communities and that the successful
Futurebuilders programme would be continue to be funded at the level of £65
million over the CSR period.
Through the Social Exclusion Task Force and through a new Public Service
Agreement, the Cabinet Office will continue to lead work across government
to improve the outcomes for the most excluded adults in society and will
also continue to explore how public services could better the needs of the
most vulnerable groups.
The Cabinet Office will also oversee the implementation across government
of recommendations from Sir David Varney's report Service
Transformation: better services for citizens and businesses, a better deal
for the taxpayer in the context of the Service Transformation Agreement
published today.
Ed Miliband, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster, today said:
“This CSR makes a priority of the issues of social exclusion and the
third sector. Employment is up and homelessness is down – but no one
should be left out, so the CSR announces a new drive to help provide a
job and a home for people with the toughest problems. The PSA lays the
groundwork: we'll be encouraging local authorities to make this a
priority, and supporting them to make it a success. Twelve out of thirty
Public Service Agreements are focused on reducing poverty and
disadvantage – an indication of how seriously this government takes the
task of creating a fairer and more equal society.
The third sector is also big focus of the CSR. In July we published our
Review, supporting the small groups that build communities and the
dedicated organisations that transform public services. Today, we are
putting the proposals into effect - including £117 million for youth
volunteering and £80 million in small grants. The review follows the
biggest ever consultation with third sector – so it's a direct
response to what it wants. This CSR enables the Office to ensure that the
third sector is fully reflected in the delivery plans of the key
departments.”
Notes to editors
The Office of the Third Sector (OTS) was created in May 2006 when the
Active Communities Directorate in the Home Office, and the Social
Enterprise Unit, in the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI),
amalgamated. The decision to place the OTS at the centre of government in
the Cabinet Office was taken in recognition of the increasingly important
role the third sector plays in both society and the economy.
The Better Regulation Executive has now moved to the new Department of
Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR).
CO has achieved over £20m annual
efficiency savings to date, and is on track to meet its annual efficiency
target of £25m set at Spending Review 2004 (SR04).
