§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost to date and the expected future cost of his Department's market-testing programme; how many staff are engaged full time in work relating to market testing; which firms of consultants have been used in connection with the market-testing programme; and how they were selected.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe cost of the Home Office market-testing programme between November 1991 until March 1993 was £1.036 million. The number of staff employed full time on market testing as at 1 June 1993 was 56. The future cost of market testing will be determined by the nature of subsequent market-testing programmes.
The Department has used the following external consultancies:
- Arthur Walton and Partners
- Corporate Renewal Associates
- Ernst and Young
- Peat Marwick
- LEK
- PA Consulting
- Price Waterhouse
- Shreeveport
- Touche Ross
- Worthy Associates
Our policy is for consultants to be engaged as a result of a competitive tender process unless there are particular circumstances which warrant single tender action.