HC Deb 15 April 2002 vol 383 cc717-8W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost to his Department was of the use of external consultants in each of the last four years. [35020]

Jane Kennedy

Details of the Department's (including it's agencies) total expenditure on the use of external consultants in each of the last four financial years are:

  • 1998–99: £254,080
  • 1999–2000: £486,622
  • 2000–01: £361,971
  • 2001–02: £1,955,910 (to date. There is substantial increase in this financial year due to numerous new IT projects).