§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent on consultants' reports over the past five years. [16494]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonExpenditure over the past five years by the Scottish Office and its associated agencies on external consultants including management consultants has been:
616W
- 1991–92: £10,836,000
- 1992–93: £4,370,000
- 1993–94: £5,383,000
- 1994–95: £4,079,000
- 1995–96: £5,440,000
Department for Education and Employment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Trade and Industry respectively. The first instalments of all funds were received by November 1996.
Pesca is delivered in eligible areas in Scotland through local Pesca groups—LPGs. The Scottish Office has approved a business plan for each LPG detailing the budget and criteria for selecting individual projects at local level. Each LPG has begun to implement its business plan and approve projects. Detailed lists of projects will be provided in annual reports from the LPGs for collation by the Scottish Office and transmission to the European Commission in June 1997.
The table lists the LPGs, each group's allocation and the lead organisation and telephone number.
The need to establish administrative arrangements which achieved the greatest delegation of responsibility to local areas while ensuring proper accountability delayed the operation of Pesca in Scotland. It is to the credit of all concerned that we now have an acceptable balance. The Scottish sub-programmes are now operating ahead of most of the rest of the UK. By the end of this financial year, the Scottish Office will have disbursed all due Pesca funds.