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Nick Hurd uncovers waste - in the Insolvency Service

Nick Hurd MP This written answer to Shadow Charities Minister Nick Hurd from 21 April suggests that the Government isn't tightening its belt like it should:

"To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Fareham of 4 February 2008, Official Report, column 894W, on departmental marketing, how much the Insolvency Service has spent on promotional products since February 2008. [252453]

Mr. McFadden: The Insolvency Service spent approximately £11,480 on promotional products since February 2008."

It was this February 2008 question from Mark Hoban (currently a Shadow Treasury Minister) that prompted Mr Hurd's follow-up:

"To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what products featuring departmental or Government branding were procured by (a) his Department and its predecessor and (b) its agencies in each of the last five years. [179912]

Mr. Thomas: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department, UK Trade and Investment or Companies House and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The Insolvency Service have spent £14,489 in the last five years on a limited number of promotional products with Insolvency Services branding, including banner stands, pens, clocks, mugs and USB memory sticks."

Mr Hurd established the nature of the branding in February this year:

"To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Fareham of 4 February 2008, Official Report, column 894W, on departmental marketing, what branding or logos were published on each of the branded Insolvency Service (a) pens, (b) clocks, (c) mugs and (d) USB memory sticks. [252452]

Mr. McFadden: The Insolvency Service has produced pens and mugs with the agency’s logo and the strapline “working well together” and “your views matter”.

No clocks or memory sticks were purchased during this period."

This seems a rather cavalier use of funds, even on a small scale. And more than a little ironic!

Tom Greeves

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