HC Deb 05 November 1992 vol 213 c338W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Attorney-General if he will list all of the reports his Department has commissioned from external consultants in each of the last three years; for each of the last three years, how many reports from external consultants to his Department led to further consultancy work being commissioned, stating for each of these who were the original and subsequent consultants and briefly describing the subject matter of the consultancy work; and if he will make a statement.

The Attorney-General

The Treasury Solicitor's Department has commissioned two reports from external consultants in the last three years. In 1990, KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock reported on a time recording and billing system for the department and in 1992, BDO Binder Hamlyn was commissioned to report on financial and accounting systems for the department.

The Crown prosecution service has commissioned six reports from external consultants in the last three years. In 1990, Scoll Ltd. reported on computer security policy and KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock reported on the training and development needs of CPS managers. In 1991, Yale Consulting reported on local area network strategy. In 1992, Intact Ltd. reported on the cabling specification for the new CPS headquarters building. This led to the further commissioning of the same consultants to provide technical monitoring of the cabling installation. Axsis Ltd. was commissioned to do a telecommunications strategy scoping study and this led to the further commissioning of a full telecommunications strategy study. Also in 1992, Energy Conscious Design performed an energy and environmental audit of the new headquarters building.

The Serious Fraud Office commissioned five reports from external consultants in 1992, and none in 1990 and 1991. They are as follows:

  • Information systems strategy scoping study: Hedra.
  • Information systems security study: Admiral plc.
  • Information systems architecture study: Systemhouse International (Europe) Ltd.
  • Accommodation space planning study: Morgan Lovall.
  • Analysis of system faults at Citygate House: systemhouse.