§ Mr. Keith SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names of external consultants indicating the fees agreed in each case and nature of studies undertaken since 2 May 1997. [74745]
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer 4 March 1999]: Full details of consultancy engagements since 1 May 1997 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, I can confirm that, in financial year 1997–98, the total expenditure on external consultancy by the MOD was £148.1 million involving more than 3,000 separate consultancy appointments and, in the first half of this financial year, £62.8 million involving over 1,000 appointments. Details of this expenditure is placed in the Library of the House annually.
The work undertaken by external consultants since May 1997 has included specialist input to procurement programmes and support to a number of Department efficiency initiatives, including market testing, the introduction of Resource Accounting and Budgeting, the review of the Department's UK estate and the development and implementation of SMART procurement.