NE CAMBS MP Steve Barclay has praised the �3.75billion of savings made by the Government in the space of 10 months - and challenged ministers to find more ways of cost-cutting.

Mr Barclay, a member of the Public Accounts Committee, hailed the savings made between May 2010 and March 2011, which equate to more than �225 of taxes for every working household.

The money saved to date includes:

• �870 million saved by cutting spending on consultants

• Nearly �500 million by spending less on temporary agency staff

• �800 million saved by negotiating better deals with suppliers

• �300 million saved from IT projects

• �90 million saved by better monitoring the properties Government rents

• �400 million saved from marketing.

Mr Barclay said: “As a member of the Public Accounts Committee I am committed to ensuring that taxpayers receive value for money.

“I am therefore pleased to note this Government has managed to save �3.75 billion of taxpayers’ money simply by slashing the waste that Labour allowed to spiral out of control.

“People will be shocked to learn of how much was saved just by doing sensible things like not renting unnecessary buildings, scrapping wasteful IT projects, negotiating better deals from suppliers and reducing spending on advertising and consultants.

“The public sector has often been seen as a soft touch by some suppliers and ministers rightly need to change the culture which has allowed this to continue for too long.”