To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the cost to date and the expected future cost of his Department's market-testing programme; how many staff are engaged full-time in work relating to market testing; which firms of consultants have been used in connection with the market-testing programme; and how they were selected.

The cost of the programme, in direct staff costs and consultancy costs, has been some £328,000 since November 1991. It is not possible to estimate the future cost as this is dependent upon the nature of the components eventually chosen for the programme. Only one member of staff is currently engaged full-time on work relating to market testing; other staff working on the programme also have other duties. The following consultants, all selected by competitive tender, have been used in connection with the programme: KPMG Management Consulting, Coopers Lybrand, CSL Ltd. and Shreeveport Ltd.