To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which public affairs firms have been given contracts by (a) his Department and (b) public bodies sponsored by his Department in the last five years; and what the purpose was of each contract. (118454)

DFID uses consultants to provide a range of activities. However, in the past five years the only public affairs firm that we have used was Corporate Communications whose role was to provide DFID with a corporate communications strategy that would help to achieve DFID's organisational objectives.

DFID is responsible for financial sponsorship of the CDC. Contracts have been issued to the following to help to promote their mission and objectives: LM, Financial Dynamics, Cubitt Consulting, Bell Pottinger, Merlin.