§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the total cost to his Department was of the use of external consultants in each of the last four years. [35026]
§ Mr. WillsThe Department's net expenditure with external consultants over the past four years was:
£ million Expenditure 1998–99 1.2 1999–2000 1.9 2000–01 2.6 2001–03 6.5 The recent increase reflects a wide-ranging and fast paced programme to modernise the courts and the tribunal system to increase efficiency, provide better customer service, and value for money for the tax payer.
Delivering such a programme has necessitated the use of external expertise and skills to supplement the Department's own resources.