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Whitehall has slashed 拢205m off the cost of London鈥檚 Crossrail line and a further 拢72m off the cost of other major constructions costs as part of an ongoing efficiency drive that saw 拢5.5bn in savings last year.

The savings over 2011-12 have been driven by the Cabinet Office鈥檚 Efficiency and Reform Group, which applied spending controls to Whitehall departments in a bid to cut spending on IT contracts, property, marketing, temporary staff and consultancy.

The savings figure is up from 拢3.75bn over 2010-11.

The Cabinet Office said the total savings of 拢5.5bn had been independently audited and included:

• 拢1bn in savings achieved through a moratorium on consultancy spend
• 拢205m off the Department for Transport鈥檚 capital contribution to Crossrail
• 拢72m off the cost of other construction projects
• 拢200m reduction on the in-year cost of the government鈥檚 property estate through exiting unnecessary properties and questioning each lease break before they were extended

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude, said: 鈥淕iven the size of the deficit this government inherited and the ongoing tough economic climate, we were determined to cut the fat from Whitehall.

鈥淏ecause our controls on spending are working well and saving unprecedented amounts of money, I鈥檓 determined they will be a permanent feature of good governance.

But Jon Tricket, Labour鈥檚 shadow Cabinet Office minister, said: 鈥淔or all their talk of savings, this Tory-led government鈥檚 failures are costing this country dear.

鈥淒avid Cameron and George Osborne have delivered a double-dip recession made in Downing Street, and they are already having to borrow 拢150 billion more than they planned over the Parliament - the cost of their failed economic plan.