Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2015 to Question 226194, how much the Government has spent on consultants in each of the last five years.

Before the last General Election, there were no effective cross-Governmental controls over spend on consultancy and temporary labour.

Now Ministers, supported by Cabinet Office officials, closely scrutinise what we spend on consultants and temporary labour. Last year, departments saved over £1.4 billion from consultants and temporary labour compared to the spending levels in the final year of the last administration, 2009-10 - a 57% reduction. This helped us save taxpayers £14.3 billion through efficiency and reform in 2013-14 against a 2009-10 baseline. Central Government spending on general consultancy alone was £316 million in 2013-14: around a quarter of the 2009-10 figure of £1,234 million. Such expenditure was £363m in 2010-11, £209m in 2011-12 and £212m in 2012-13.

We will spend money on consultants and temporary labour when there is an appropriate business need to do so. Indeed in some cases engaging temporary labour is more flexible and cheaper for the taxpayer than taking on new staff. But we are also ensuring that the Civil Service has the skills needed. Our Capabilities Plan is designed to address long-standing gaps in four particular areas: digital skills, project management skills, commercial skills, and the leadership and management of change.

We publish all spend data over £25,000 and central government contracts over £10,000 on Gov.uk and Contracts Finder”.