§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what secondments(a) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (b) Deloitte & Touche, (c) Ernst & Young and (d) KPMG have made to his Department since 2001; for what (i) periods and (ii) tasks the secondments were made; whether secondments of staff from his Department have been made to those firms; and for what (a) periods and (b) tasks. [1569221
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThere have been four secondments from PricewaterhouseCooper, three secondments from KPMG, one secondment from Ernst & Young and two secondments from Deloitte & Touche into the Department since 2001.
The four secondments from PricewaterhouseCooper are:
From January 2002–continues. The secondment involves providing advice of issues relating to policy and implementation of foundation trusts and the NHS Bank on issues pertaining to corporate finance, private finance and public—private partnerships.
From July 2002–continues . July 2002–February 2003, worked full time on the development of the National Health Service foundation trust financial regime. March 2003–July 2003, worked 50 per cent. of the time on the 257W NHS foundation trust financial regime and 50 per cent. on various projects in the strategy unit. August 2003–continuing, works full time in the strategy unit and makes occasional contributions to the NHS foundation trust financial regime.
From June 2003–September 20113. The secondment involved producing a guidance manual to best practice methods for successful contracting.
From September 2003–March 2004. The secondment involves working with the independent regulator for NHS foundation trusts transitional team and then the permanent team, to help develop an audit code setting out standards, procedures and techniques for the independent regulator as set out in the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003.
The three secondments from KPMG are:
From January 2001–January 2002. The secondment involved advising NHS trusts on financial aspects of private finance initiative contracts.
From December 2002–October 2003. The secondment involved working with franchising policy development. From July 2003–continuing. The secondment involves establishing performance and finance measurement reporting, developing business plans and commercial evaluation of projects.
The one secondment from Ernst & Young is:
From October 2000–October 2001. The secondment involved advising NHS Trusts on financial aspects of private finance initiative contracts.
The two secondments from Deloitte & Touche are:
From November 2001–May 2003. The secondment involved advising NHS trusts on financial aspects of private finance initiative contracts.
From December 2001–November 2002. The secondment involved advising NHS trusts on financial aspects of private finance initiative contracts.
There was one secondment by a member of staff to Deloitte & Touche. The secondment was from November 2001 to November 2002, the secondment involved learning about private sector systems and procedures for evaluating private finance initiative schemes.
Further information on secondments into and out of the Department, from all sectors, has been placed in the Library.