I have a defence saving - get rid if the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and their cartel Regional Prime Contractors (RPCs). The annual infra budget is £4.5Bn and I reckon you could see an immediate £2Bn saving.
Why? Because DIO and their RPC crooks at "40% variance" to all costed jobs - guess what? They nearly always come in over cost near this 40%! I have seen some outrageous costings for very shabby work at Stn level and there is no competition. There are so many good craftsmen in the local area who want the work and would do it for half the cost - I know because I've had some in for a quote, only to be told that I must use the RPC at twice the cost!
We only need DIO for a regulatory function and for strategic infra planning - but at the local level, the RPCs combined with DIO is a disaster...IMHO.
As for other Govt savings, then the elephant in the room is HS2. At £50Bn plus and climbing, this should be shelved and investment in existing and dormant rail lines should be made. The new East/West rail link is a good case in point which travels between Oxford and Cambridge (roughly). The cost are ~£300M and there are other options 'up North' which would also bring much benefit for much smaller investment. The soon to be rolled out link between Oxford and Marleybone is also costed at very small amounts (in comparison to HS2) and will carve 25% off the travelling time between London and Oxford. Here is a list of potential improvements for very little cost (also ripe for outside investors):
http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/re...-rail-lines#em
Finally, scale back the ~£40Bn Trident replacement to cruise missile delivery - from ships, planes and submarines and you could yield at least a £20Bn reduction. Lots of little nukes have a better chance to get through than a few MRV warheads from a single boat.
There you go, I reckon you could make ~£10Bn per year without touching the NHS and schools. Sort out the immigrant access to benefits and other social services without paying any tax/NI and you will have more savings.
Problem, sorted, next?
LJ
PS. My name is not Nigel Farage!