Duncan Smith think-tank slams ‘blunderbuss’ approach to spending cuts

2 Aug 10
The Treasury has been accused of taking a ‘blunderbuss’ approach to public spending cuts by the think-tank founded by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith

By Lucy Phillips

2 August 2010

The Treasury has been accused of taking a ‘blunderbuss’ approach to public spending cuts by the think-tank founded by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith.

The Centre for Social Justice slammed the government’s approach to the Comprehensive Spending Review in a report published yesterday. It warned that asking departments to produce plans for cuts of up to 40% risked beneficial programmes being cut and pointless ones surviving.

The think-tank, which has submitted its views to the Treasury ahead of the autumn Spending Review, called for ‘drastic changes if it is to secure genuine value for money’. Duncan Smith remains a patron of the organisation, which he founded in 2004.

Gavin Poole, executive director of the CSJ, said: ‘Instead of assessing the true productivity of programmes and cutting those that are ineffective, we will see salami slicing: equal cuts off all programmes, good and bad.

‘Ministers are effectively flying blind, under orders to cut programmes by up to 40% but with confused guidance about their departments’ objectives and how they should choose between spending options.’

The CSJ urged the government to look at the social value of public spending, not just the financial costs. It advocated the approach taken by the US state of Washington, which set up an independent body to assess the cost effectiveness of social spending before making spending cuts.

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