asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the name of each external consultancy firm or consultant employed by the Home Office to advise on the proposed amalgamation relating to the Essex police constabulary; whether they will provide a summary of the work undertaken; and what was the cost in each case.[HL5875]

Consultants were contracted to assess the business cases from the eastern region, including those for Essex constabulary. Their work contributed to the case for amalgamation for Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire which can be found on the Home Office police restructuring website at wwww.police.homeoffice.gov.uk/police-reform/force-restructuring. The following consultancy firms worked on business cases in the eastern region: KPMG, Walker-Cox, Ernst & Young, Accenture and Methods. It is not possible to identify separately the cost relating to Essex.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the estimated cost of the rationalisation of police authorities under their plans for police force restructuring.[HL6328]

The currently projected cost of proposed amalgamation of English and Welsh forces announced so far remains around £391 million. Long-term savings made possible by mergers also remain currently around £145 million a year.