§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the cost to date and the expected future cost of his Department's market-testing programme; how many staff are engaged full-time in work relating to market-testing; which firms of consultants have been used in connection with the market-testing programme; and how they were selected.
§ Mr. GoodladThe consultancy costs and the direct staff costs of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office diplomatic ing's market-testing programme up to 31 March 1993 totalled £260,000. The cost for the aid wing was £290,000. In neither case is it possible to estimate the future cost.
Since November 1991, market testing has accounted for a significant proportion of the time of some 35 diplomatic wing, and 14 aid wing staff. The diplomatic wing has employed Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte and Capita Management Consultants on work relating to market testing. The aid wing has employed Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte, KPMG and CSL (Group) Ltd. In all cases, the consutants were originally selected by competitive tender.