Government had to run home to mommy when they got the idea for their Central Policy Unit (CPU) from the UK Government, Opposition Senator Bob Richards said during the budget debate in the Senate yesterday.

?For a party hell-bent on taking us to Independence you keep running to mommy for a lot of things,? he said. ?It?s ironic you have this mentality and at the same time want to be Independent.?

Sen. Richards said the CPU itself was still trying to figure out what they do.

Government policies and initiatives such as the Social Agenda, the Bermuda Independence Commission and sustainable development were the brainchild of CPU, he said.

Government?s Social Agenda was first introduced in fall of 2004, yet CPU had been around since the summer of 2000. ?What did they do before that?? Sen. Richards asked.

Government Senate Leader Larry Mussenden said the CPU was formulated in 1999 following a Civil Service review in the UK.

In August, 2000, CPU was formed as policy advisers and project managers for various Government Ministries.

?While work of CPU and Management Services may merge they have different mandates,? Sen. Mussenden said.

Government Senator Walter Roban said CPUs were part of almost every Government in the world.

The total budget of the Cabinet Office in 2004/2005 was nearly $3 million, Sen. Mussenden said.

However, in 2005/2006 the budget was increased by $175,000 in order to fund the CPU.

But Opposition Senate Leader Kim Swan said another layer of Government was not needed.

?Government?s growth is not necessarily a good thing seen against the backdrop of rising inflation,? Sen. Swan said.

Speaking on the BIC, Sen. Mussenden said it meant the public was ?being informed comprehensively? on the subject of Independence.

However, Sen. Richards said BIC was likely to be disbanded at some point, and asked whether it was inevitable for someone to have to think up new projects for the consultants to work on.

?Temporary staff are working on permanent projects,? he said. ?Someone is going to have to invent projects for these guys to work on.?

The number of consultants in nearly every Government Ministry was on the rise, he said.

?Bermuda Government is consultant heaven,? he said. ?We are going to attract them from all around the world?.

The budget for Professional Services/Consultants to the Cabinet Office is $159,000 higher than last year, he said.

?Are any of their consultants, political consultants?? Sen. Richards asked. ?We need to know.?

But Sen. Mussenden said: ?Government never paid for political consultants.?