Gordon Brown looks to halve consultancy spend

Whitehall spending on consultants will be halved, contributing to a half a billion pound saving, according to Gordon Brown.

In announcing £3bn in public sector efficiency savings, brown said that spending on consultants and marketing would be halved and quartered respectively – amounting to a £650m saving.

His Smarter Government speech, delivered at the Royal Society, included details of an extra £3bn of public sector efficiency savings, beyond the extra £12bn in efficiencies announced in the Budget.

"The next stage of public service reform will be characterised by a radical shift of power to the users of public services, all users, not just those who are wealthy and powerful, not just those who have the resources to make the best of what government offers them. Power will shift to everyone who needs to use our public services," said Brown.

Further reading:

View his speech here