The Progressive Conservative government, under pressure since it presented its budget May 31, has released more details of where officials have found some savings.

The list now covers $108 million of the $122 million in savings the government first announced last month, but there are inconsistencies with what has previously been disclosed.

CBC News and other media outlets have been requesting the list of savings since Finance Minister Cameron Friesen promised the rundown ten days ago.

A release from the government says a claw back of a property tax rebate for higher income seniors will now save

$44 million (up from $37 million predicted on budget day),

$4 million from reducing the size of cabinet, and

$9 million from reducing requested increases to schools and universities (up $2 million from a statement made by the finance minister yesterday).

The government also says it will save $35 million from reducing discretionary prevention funds, a further $11 million by revising forecasts and capital on some unspecified government projects and another $5 million from reductions in the Building Manitoba Fund due to PST decreases.

Some things still aren't adding up

Premier Brian Pallister told reporters Thursday the media would get an updated list on where the savings were coming from and said it would include a cut in government advertising and promotional expenses that added up to "$2.5 or $3 million." But that was not included in the updated list provided.

"We've looked at everything we could get our hands on to look for savings and we found a number of categories," Pallister said.

Pallister and his finance minister have been peppered by questions about the list. The premier said it wasn't easy to simply provide a rundown.

"The breakdown of how you get there is complicated. It's very hard work. It involves going through literally thousands of spending proposals, some new, some continuations of programs that are in existence," Pallister said.

Pallister has repeatedly said his government has inherited "a fiscal mess" from the previous NDP government and the PCs intend reverse the course of spending and higher taxes in Manitoba.

Pallister said explanations as to the rest of the list will be forthcoming.