To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research spent on external consultants in each of the last five years. (280596)

CEFAS expenditure on management consultancy is outlined in the following table:

This expenditure covers specialist external consultancy for the primary purpose of providing advice to CEFAS management. Examples include:

£132,000 spread across 2005-06 and 2006-07 in supporting a response to the DEFRA Laboratory Strategy Programme

Typically £50,000 specialist support for major procurement exercises each year from 2006/07 onwards

£30,000 to date for developing our safety and quality management systems.

The table excludes temporary staff and contractors providing specialised skills and experience under our supervision and guidance. It also excludes technical and scientific consultancy that CEFAS draws on to augment its in-house expertise.

CEFAS also forms part of a public sector partnership with local authorities to develop new office and laboratory facilities, for completion in 2011. CEFAS has committed costs within the partnership of : 2006-07 £549,658, 2007-08 £983,668 and 2008-09 £305,829 to cover design and development of this scheme.