Departmental Consultants

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by (a) his Department, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible and (c) each other body sponsored by his Department and its predecessor in each year since 2005. (319150)

Central records indicate that the Department and its predecessors have spent the following on consultancy fees in the last five financial years:

I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office and the Intellectual Property Office and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.

Further details, including provision of non-departmental public bodies and other bodies sponsored by the Department, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 16 March 2010:

The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has asked me to reply to your question on how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by (a) his Department, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible and (c) each other body sponsored by his Department and its predecessor in each year since 2005.

The Insolvency Service an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has spent the following amounts on external consultants and advisers since 2005:

Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 10 March 2010:

I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 23 February 2010, UIN 319150 to the Minister of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Companies House spent the following amounts on external consultants and advisers in each since 2005:

Letter from Peter Mason, dated 26 February 2010:

I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO) to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much was spent on external consultants and advisers in each year since 2005.

Since April 2009, we have adopted the OGC definition of consultancy, namely “advice related to strategy, structure, management or operations of an organisation in pursuit of its objectives”. Prior to that date, our records do not distinguish between the various forms of consultants and contractors, for instance those carrying out research projects.

We have spent £77,071.70 between April 2009 and December 2009 on external consultants and advisers as defined by OGC. Expenditure in previous years on “consultancy” using the wider definition that I have mentioned was:

Letter from John Alty, dated 25 February 2010:

I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 23 February 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The amount spent on external consultants and advisors in each calendar year since 2005 is: