Tough spending controls introduced as temporary measures to tackle Britain's public deficit have been extended permanently across Whitehall, minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, has announced.

In the early months of the coalition, ministers announced tight restrictions on Whitehall budgets for marketing and communications, IT, recruitment, consultancy and property. Ministers claim that cash savings of £3.75bn were achieved in the first 10 months after the controls were imposed, and helped deliver more than £5bn savings in 2011/12.