To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) external contractors and (b) other non-departmental staff were employed by his Department in London in each of the last five financial years; and at what cost were such staff employed in each year. (251074)

Information on how many external contractors and other non-departmental staff were engaged by the core-Department in London and their costs in each of the last five financial years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The core-Department’s expenditure on consultancy and professional services for the financial years 2003-04 through to 2007-08 is set out in the following table.