I suspect that the single biggest difference nowadays is the sophistication of the Computer systems with thinks like Skype taken as read. Many family members who work for large companies no longer have to travel to work in regional centres or London.
Rationalisation should be easily achieved and I would envisage certain services completely centralised and computerised and the savings on Admin rechanneled either back to the tax payer or into front line services.
Sensible report and, given the growth of the private sector nationwide, a move in the right direction