§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the total cost to her Department was for accountancy services in 2002. [101856]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe Department entered into a nine year PFI contract with Liberata UK Ltd. (formerly CSL Group Ltd.) in January 1998. This contract covers a wide range of services including providing accounting systems, making payments, receipting and accounts production. The cost of accountancy services provided to the Department by Liberata under the contract, and from other external firms of accountants or their 729W management consultancy arms where the assignment was connected with financial matters, in 2002–03 (to February 2003) was £5.7 million.