A Treasury minister was forced to defend as value for money paying £950 a day for the Government’s new value for money tsar.
David Goldstone will take up the position of chairman of the new Office for Value for Money, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in her Budget.
She said Mr Goldstone would “help us realise the benefits from every pound of public spending”.
He will be in post for a year and is responsible for providing advice to the Chancellor and Chief Secretary to the Treasury to save money by reforming systems and improving policy outcomes.
The role will be paid at a day rate of £950 and Mr Goldstone is expected to work a monthly average of one day a week.
Asked if £950-a day pay for the work is “very good value” for money for the taxpayer, Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Treasury said: “It is yes.
“And actually, one of the things that we’ve inherited from the last government was a bit of an excessive rate of daily rates for advisors to external advisors to government.
“This is very good value compared to some of the roles that we’ve inherited. And the office of value for money is led by David [Goldstone], who has a lot of experience working on big infrastructure projects and big delivery projects, but is supported by a group of talented officials who are already employed by the Treasury.”
The value for money tsar is an independent role and he is not an employee of the Treasury.
Mr Goldstone is also a non-executive director of the Submarine Delivery Agency and HS2 Ltd.
He was previously chief executive of Parliament’s Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority and chief operating officer at the Ministry of Defence.
Mr Goldstone also oversaw the Government’s £9.3 billion investment for the 2012 Olympics, including the Olympic Park venues and infrastructure.
His appointment comes as Whitehall departments have been told to make two per cent efficiency savings and companies are being hit with hefty increases in National Insurance in the Budget of £40 billion of tax rises, £32 billion more borrowing and £70 billion more spending which has left the markets jittery.
