The Government is reviewing the cost of the chauffeur-driven BMW service for ministers as part of its savings drive, briefings to incoming ministers revealed yesterday.
The briefing to Prime Minister John Key on Ministerial Services - which manages ministers - says the department was reviewing the pricing regime charged by VIP Transport, which provides the service to ministers.
The BMW fleet has been controversial and cost about $8 million last year - $500,000 more than usual because of the World Cup.
The paper said the review was aimed at ensuring charges were "more transparent, accurate and better aligned with actual usage".
The paper also says ministerial houses were to be assessed to ensure they were earthquake-safe. And Mr Key was warned he was not exempt from the Government's demands for costs savings across the public sector: the paper says he would have to work with other ministers who were under the umbrella of the Department of Internal Affairs to ensure they all met savings targets by mid-July.
