To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will list the outside (a) agencies and (b) consultancies which are undertaking work commissioned by her Department; and what the (i) purpose and (ii) cost is of each commission. (138466)

This question can be fully answered only at disproportionate cost.

Communities and Local Government has engaged consultants to support policy development in response to the need to develop sustainable homes and communities. The skills required for these programmes were not available from civil servants.

In addition, specialist skills including project management, finance, engineering, technology specification, building specification and design, security and resilience have been procured to support the delivery of projects to enhance the ability of the Fire and Rescue Service to respond to major incidents.

The work undertaken includes provision of radio engineering expertise for the new radio systems for the Fire and Rescue Service; also, logistical support and design for responding to chemical, biological, radioactive or nuclear incident, and search and rescue incidents.

However the following table lists the 10 highest consultancy costs incurred by the Department.