Defra costs savings

- Published: 01 May, 2009

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Defra could save £44m from its animal diseases surviellance systems in a bid to cut public expenditure, it was revealed in the recent government Budget.

As part of a new £35bn value-for-money target for the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), the Chancellor gave his preferred alternative, a more efficient animal disease surveillance system which will save government money by sharing costs with industry.

The government department however insisted the saving would not be to the detriment to safety. A Defra spokesperson said: "The government's animal disease surveillance programme will not be affected by the £44m in savings identified in the Budget."

The CSR is a 'rolling programme' whereby a three-year plan is updated annually, as the government outlines its intended spending.