HC Deb 25 January 1996 vol 270 cc358-9W
Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the annual telephone costs to(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) his Department's non-departmental public bodies staff for each of the years (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (vii) 1996–97; and if internal telephone directories are available to staff in all areas of (a) to (c). [11394]

Mr. Burt

The available information is in the table.

Internal telephone directories are available to staff in the Department, its agencies and its non-departmental public bodies.

1996–97; and if he will estimate the savings accruing to his Department from the use of consultants in each of these years. [11391]

Mr. Burt

The available information is in the table. The information requested for 1979–80 and savings accrued from the use of consultants is not available. The estimated expenditure for 1996–97 is not yet available.

Expenditure on external consultants
Year Amount £ million
1989–90 43.3
1991–92 69.7
1993–94 134.0
1994–95 26.1
1995–96 (to date 31 December 1995) 216.9
1995–96 (estimated full year) 21.66
1Figures for 1992–93 onwards refer solely to expenditure on consultancy services following work undertaken for the efficiency scrutiny into the Government's use of external consultants. Figures for earlier years include the cost of contracted services.
This figure is provisional and subject to amendment.

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