§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the Department of external legal advice was in the last 12 months. [180324]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe Department has a service level agreement with the legal division of the Department of Work and Pensions for the provision of legal services, including advice. The value of the agreement was £4.5 million in 2003–04. External legal services are used, often on commercial matters, but the specific costs of this advice cannot be dis-aggregated from the overall cost of consultancy services without incurring disproportionate costs.