News story

BIS' contribution to Government savings

BIS has announced a package of £836 million worth of efficiency savings and in year savings to its spending.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The savings represent 3.9% of the department’s total budget.

They are part of the wider £6 billion in savings across Government, as outlined by the Treasury.

BIS is protecting spending on Research, Innovation, Business and Enterprise and student numbers in Higher Education, which will see an increase of 10,000 places

Instead, the savings will be delivered by through specific efficiencies, such as RDA funding and programmes like SBRI and the SME Adjudicator, and refocusing Train to Gain funding into new apprenticeships and investment in FE.

To reach its £836 million of in year savings Ministers have agreed the following savings:

  • £100 million in efficiency savings across the department and its partner organisations
  • £233 million UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI) project for a new biomedical research facility to be located in Central London - the investment will now not be brought forward this year but spread over five years
  • £ 74 million will be cut from the Regional Development Agencies - the total cut is £270 million shared between CLG, DECC, DEFRA and BIS
  • £200 million in efficiencies from the Higher Education budget
  • £200 million by refocusing the Train to Gain budget on apprenticeships and college buildings
  • £18 million including funding for the Institute of Web Science, a proposal which is still under development, and low priority projects like the SME Adjudicator.
  • £11 million from the UK vocational reform budget
  • £20 million of additional investment in SBRI announced in the Budget,delivering a saving of £10 million this year, although the programme will continue to be supported by the Government.

HM Treasury savings announcement

Published 24 May 2010