To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those (a) consultants (b) outside organisations and (c) individuals employed by his Department in each year since 1990, indicating the purposes of their employment and the total payments made to them. [3970]

Information in relation to consultants covering the financial years 1990–91 to 1994–95 has been placed in the Library. This is recorded under four categories—general management consultancy, information technology, privatisation and next steps. Total payment amounts are shown where this would not breach commercial confidentiality but is omitted in the cases of single contracts (marked ⋆). The other information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.