40882 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills

40882 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills: In the Minister’s departments, ministries and agencies, if any, what savings have been identified, between 27 November 2023 and 10 July 2024?

Hon Penny Simmonds: At the Ministry, these decisions are the responsibility of the relevant agency Chief Executive. In response to the Government’s savings requirements, the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) identified opportunities for savings such as reducing spend on contractors and consultants, professional services, and travel and meetings. The Ministry also identified areas to reduce work and duplication to align with Government priorities, which will result in a reduction in the Ministry’s workforce. In relation to the Ministry's change process, please see response to written parliamentary question 42802 (2024). For information regarding savings that have been identified through the Budget Process, please refer to: https://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/budgets/budget-2024. For the Tertiary Education Commission, I am advised they found savings of 6% of its eligible operating baseline funding or $3.72m per annum as a contribution towards the Government's fiscal targets through Budget 2024. In relation to Education New Zealand (ENZ), I am advised that for 2024/25 and outyears, ENZ has not identified any further savings beyond what is referenced in the response to written parliamentary question 25904 (2024).