HC Deb 20 October 2003 vol 411 cc443-4W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many consultancies were commissioned by her Department in the last two years for which figures are available; and what the cost of those contracts was. [130904]

Ms Hewitt

During 2002–03, the Department's recorded expenditure on consultancy was £52 million in respect of some 180 projects. The comparable expenditure in 2001–02 was £55 million. No figures are available in respect of the number of projects commissioned for that year.

The Department is currently undertaking a review of its consultancy expenditure, with the objective of maximising the value for money obtained from the deployment of consultants through:

  • the effective management of consultancies and exploitation of their conclusions;
  • more cost-effective procurement practices; and
  • the consistent capture of data.