To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultancy contracts his Department issued in each year since 2005; what the (a) value, (b) purpose and (c) contractor was in each case; and whether the consultant’s report is publicly available in each case. (181886)

The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Annual expenditure on external consultants is published in the Department’s annual reports, copies of which are in the Library of the House. The two most recent annual reports also contain details of expenditure on the top five consultancy suppliers. The vast majority of work undertaken for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office by consultants is associated with its major Information Communication Technology and Estate construction programmes.

I also refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hemsworth (Jon Trickett) on 6 December 2007, Official Report, column 1427W, and to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister for Europe (Mr. Murphy) gave to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 9 October 2007, Official Report, columns 542-43W.