Farron queries spiralling Government department 're-branding' costs

3.00.00pm GMT Wed 14th Nov 2007

Local MP Tim Farron has obtained figures which suggest a rise of some £115,000 in the cost of re-branding the Department for Trade and Industry as the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. The Minister claimed on October 25th that the cost of re-branding the Department would be £77,000, but in an answer to Mr Farron on the 12th of November, less than three weeks later, the Minister set the cost at £192,000.

Tim Farron said:

"A price tag of £192,000 for a fairly meaningless re-branding seems very high, but more worrying is the difference to the figure quoted less than three weeks earlier. What on earth could have cost £115,000 in that timeframe?

"While this Government refuses to provide full compensation for farmers who have suffered because of their mistakes, and is carrying out other cost-cutting measures, it seems madness to be throwing money down the drain in this manner."