§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all of the reports his Department has commissioned from external consultants in each of the last three years; for each of the last three years, how many reports from external consultants to his Department led to further consultancy work being commissioned, stating for each of these who were the original and subsequent consultants and briefly describing the subject matter of the consultancy work; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HowardMy Department commissioned 320 reports from external consultants in 1989–90; 391 in 1990–91 and 457 in 1991–92. For the convenience of the hon. Member, I have placed in the Library of the House separate lists of the reports for each of these years. Information concerning subsequent work commissioned as a result of these reports could be provided only at disproportionate cost.