To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many value for money exercises on the use of (a) management consultants and (b) professional advisers were conducted by his Department in each of the last five years for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. (103010)

Requirements for management consultants and professional advisers are subject to value for money reviews at the point of purchase. The commercial teams across the Home Department follow Office of Government Commerce best practice guidelines. Records are not held centrally. Information on the number of cases for each of the past five years is not available as the cost of collating would be disproportionate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what disciplinary action has taken place in his Department since his appointment; and if he will make a statement. (107130)

A full response to this question could be provided only at disproportionate cost, as disciplinary action is delegated across the Department to management levels.

However, we are able to provide the following details of the number of centrally recorded penalties that have been applied to staff as a result of disciplinary action in the core Home Office and its agencies from 5 May 2006 up until 31 October 2006.

Warnings—158

Dismissals—48

Penalties other than warnings and dismissals—22

Other disciplinary action short of dismissal can include, when both parties agree (singularly or in combination) a ban on promotion, financial penalties, formal counselling, regrading and retraining, although this list is not exhaustive.