§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much(a) her Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body spent on external consultancy in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (planned); and if she will make a statement. [92256]
§ Dr. HowellsThe information is as follows:
(a) Contracts awarded to consultants on behalf of DCMS during the relevant periods are as follows:
£ 1995–96 164,000 1996–97 309,000 1997–98 728,000 1998–99 424,000 1999–2000 227,000 2000–01 358,000 2001–02 693,000 2002–03 323,820 This includes the Royal Parks Agency.
(b) As DCMS is responsible for over 60 non-departmental public bodies, this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.