§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has made of the amount spent on external consultants by his Department's non-departmental public bodies in each of the last five years. [10164]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThe information requested is not held centrally and could be made available only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the actions his Department has taken on each of the recommendations contained in the Cabinet Office report on the Government's use of external consultants. [10165]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordA large number of the report's recommendations addressed controls that are already part of the strong framework my Department has in place over the use of external consultants. However, that framework has been strengthened further, through:
- (a) issuing revised guidance. This re-emphasises in particular:
- —the requirement for a project brief or business case for each consultancy;
- —the role and responsibilities of the project manager for each consultancy contract; and
- —the procedures for establishing that the consultancy has delivered value for money.
96 - (b) Ministerial approval for the Department's annual expenditure plan for consultants.
In addition, the Department's purchasing has been made more professional through the establishment of centres of procurement expertise at key points in the organisation, including those who buy consultancies.