To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which external consultants were used by (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies in relation to private finance initiatives in 2005-06; and what the (i) nature and (ii) cost of the work was in each case. (123013)

The specific information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The Department uses external consultants to provide specialist commercial, financial and legal services for Integrated Project Teams to assist in the delivery of services (both PFI and non-PFI). In addition, ad hoc specialist technical consultants are engaged in particular areas where in-house expertise is not available.

During 2005-06 the MOD spent £47.2 million on external consultancy services to support teams seeking to engage industry in the delivery of public-private partnerships (PPP) including PFI and wider markets.

Summaries of MOD expenditure on external assistance, of which public-private partnerships including PFI and wider markets are a part, are available in the Libraries of both Houses for the years 1995-96 to 2005-06.