To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department is taking to share services, functions and back offices with local authorities as part of the Total Place initiative. (323943)

The Ministry of Justice is not taking steps to share services, functions and back offices with local authorities as part of the Total Place initiative. However, the Department is supportive of any local partners' decisions on sharing services, functions or back offices to make efficiency savings where they deem it appropriate. The Government's report on Total Place will be published alongside Budget 2010.