To ask the Scottish Government what savings it has (a) identified and (b) achieved through its £30 million Invest to Save Fund.
The Invest to Save Fund supports projects intended to deliver efficiencies, service improvements and financial savings across the public sector. Many projects require a period of implementation before benefits can be realised, and it may take between two and three years for projects to mature sufficiently to begin delivering their full savings potential.
As part of the application and assessment process, funded projects are required to identify anticipated benefits and savings. Projects supported through the current funding round are forecast to deliver approximately £178 million of savings over five years.
Projects supported through the first year of the Fund identified anticipated savings of approximately £167 million over the next five years. These projects are at varying stages of delivery.
The Scottish Government continues to monitor project delivery and benefits realisation, including financial savings, through its fund management and reporting arrangements. No consolidated assessment of realised savings is yet available.