To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 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. (181881)

The Ministry of Justice was established on 9 May 2007. For the years 2005-06 to 2006-07, information for contracts awarded by the former Department for Constitutional Affairs and those bodies that were formerly part of the Home Office and which are now part of the Ministry of Justice is available in the Library of the House.

Information on contracts awarded in the first half of the current financial year across the Ministry of Justice is also provided.

The information on contracts awarded by the National Offender Management Service in 2005-06 and the Office for Criminal Justice Reform in the years 2005-07 is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Full information on contracts awarded by HM Prison Service in 2006-07 is not available.

Engaging consultancy support offers the Ministry of Justice a fast and flexible way of obtaining skills and experience that are not available in house. Additionally, it is an efficient and cost effective way of meeting ad hoc requirements and provides better value for money than expanding our permanent workforce.