To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Veterinary Laboratories Agency spent on consultants in each of the last five years. (279541)

The Veterinary Laboratories Agency has spent the following on consultants in each of the last five years:

Income in 2008-09 was £106 million with expenditure on ‘consultancy’ of £480,418. This includes just under £300,000 for specialist scientific IT consultancy; £100,000 on management and financial consultancy; with the remaining expenditure on specialist scientific/veterinary consultancy.

The overall spend for the first two categories is similar for previous years, with a decline from 2004-05 through to 2008-09 in specialist scientific/veterinary consultancy as these specialist skills have been developed in house.