§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the expenditure of his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all external consultants including management consultants for each of the years(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95 and (f) 1995–96 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole year; what estimate he has made of such expenditure for 1996–97; and if he will estimate the savings accruing to his Department for the use of consultants in each of these years. [11351]
§ Mr. Boswell[holding answer 25 January 1996]: Expenditure on consultants in the financial year 1979–80 could be provided only at disproportionate expense. Expenditure in each of the other years concerned was as follows:
Financial year Expenditure (£) 1989–90 2,972,150 1991–92 5,374,284 1993–94 13,071,785 1994–95 12,259,782 1995–96 (to date) 10,245,969 1995–96 (whole year estimated) 14,736,635 1996–97 (estimated) 11,328,389 These figures exclude the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and the Meat Hygiene Service, which will be submitting separate replies.
It is not possible to quantify savings accruing from this expenditure, since most of the benefits derive from new systems and working methods, and from the consultants' expertise in certain fields, in which permanent staff do not have the necessary knowledge and experience.
Letter from J. M. Rutter to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 26 January 1996:
433WThe Minister has asked me to reply to your question about expenditure on external consultants by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, for 1979–80 and each year since 1989–90, as this is an operational matter for which I am responsible.The Directorate was established as a Next Steps Agency on 2 April 1990 and did not maintain its own accounts until 1991–92.Details of expenditure on external consultants since that date are as follows:
- 1991–92: £ 5,869
- 1992–93: £ 41,272
- 1993–94: £ 34,281
- 1994–95: £ 12,705
- 1995–96: £ 4,042 (to date)
- 1995–96: £ 5,500 (Forecast)
- 1996–97: £ 6,000 (Forecast)
It is not possible to quantify savings accruing from this expenditure, since most of the benefits derive from new systems and working methods and from the consultants expertise in certain fields, in which permanent staff do not have the necessary knowledge and experience.
Number imported Dead on arrival Percentage Dead in quarantine Percentage 1988 184,577 4,732 2.56 20,619 11.17 1989 184,601 4,015 2.17 19,471 10.55 1990 175,967 3,543 2.01 18,138 10.31 1991 129,490 3,444 2.66 15,734 12.15 1992 94,927 3,573 3.76 9,506 10.01