To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission what financial consultants were used by the Boundary Committee to model the possible costs of unitary local government in (a) Devon, (b) Norfolk and (c) Suffolk; and at what cost. (279559)

The Electoral Commission informs me that the Boundary Committee engaged three independent financial consultants to consider the affordability of its draft proposals for Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk. They are Chris Wheeler CPFA, Tony Hall CPFA and Ken Bell CPFA. The committee also engaged Dr. Eric Fisher CPFA to undertake a peer review of their affordability assessments. All were contracted through CIPFA Placements.

The cost to date is £279,949. This figure accounts for work undertaken in relation to Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk from March 2008 to 10 June 2009.