HC Deb 21 May 2002 vol 386 c283W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the total cost to his Department was of the use of external consultants in each of the last four years. [35026]

Mr. Wills

The Department's net expenditure with external consultants over the past four years was:

£ million
Expenditure
1998–99 1.2
1999–2000 1.9
2000–01 2.6
2001–03 6.5

The recent increase reflects a wide-ranging and fast paced programme to modernise the courts and the tribunal system to increase efficiency, provide better customer service, and value for money for the tax payer.

Delivering such a programme has necessitated the use of external expertise and skills to supplement the Department's own resources.