Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Blyth and Ashington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many external consultants have been hired by each Government department since 2020; and what the cost to the public purse has been of those consultants in each of those years.
Answered by Jacob Rees-Mogg
Government Departments draw on the advice of external specialists for a range of services. Consultancy includes staff who provide objective advice relating to strategy, structure, management or operations of an organisation and may include the identification of options with recommendations.
The Consultancy Playbook was published in May 2021 alongside the Sourcing Playbook, to provide additional guidance when sourcing consultancy services. This supports our agenda to commission and engage with consultants more effectively, achieving better outcomes, better value for money, and improved civil service capability through the transferral of knowledge and skills.
Consultancy is bought as a service, not by the number of individuals required, therefore the number of consultants hired is not held centrally. Consultancy spend, including ALB spend, is published in departmental annual reports and accounts and is reproduced below.
Department |
| 2019/20 |
| 2020/21 |
BEIS |
| 55,700,000 |
| 137,300,000 |
CO |
| 38,841,000 |
| 79,779,000 |
DCMS |
| 32,900,000 |
| 46,100,000 |
DFE |
| 12,700,000 |
| 8,700,000 |
DEFRA |
| 33,299,000 |
| 36,337,000 |
DFT |
| 168,390,654 |
| 175,720,840 |
DHSC |
| 290,206,000 |
| 485,997,000 |
DIT |
| 897,000 |
| 5,782,000 |
DWP |
| 28,500,000 |
| 29,000,000 |
FCDO |
| 2,936,902 |
| 2,742,044 |
HMRC |
| 1,700,000 |
| 8,600,000 |
HMT |
| 18,000,000 |
| 17,000,000 |
HO |
| 33,700,000 |
| 32,402,000 |
MHCLG |
| 5,229,000 |
| 20,148,000 |
MOD |
| 134,627,000 |
| 109,668,000 |
MOJ |
| 14,962,000 |
| 15,742,000 |
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Blyth and Ashington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions (a) he or (b) Ministers in his Department have had with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury regarding ongoing funding of the Infected Blood support scheme payments; and what discussions his Department has had with interested parties regarding financial settlements recommended by Sir Robert Francis in his report.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Ongoing funding of the Infected Blood support scheme payments is a matter for the Department of Health and Social Care.
I recognise how important it is that the views of infected and affected people are reflected in Sir Robert’s study. It is for this reason that infected and affected core participants to the Inquiry, and their Recognised Legal Representatives were consulted not only on the Terms of Reference of the study, but also contributed significantly to Sir Robert’s information gathering process. It is my intention to publish the Study and the Government response, in time for the Inquiry and its core participants to consider them before Sir Robert gives evidence to the Inquiry.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Blyth and Ashington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the chair of the Infected Blood compensation framework has been given budget boundaries for that framework.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
The purpose of this study is to provide the Paymaster General with advice on potential options for compensation framework design and solutions for victims of infected blood. Following public consultation, the study’s terms of reference will be finalised. It is important that the independent reviewer, Sir Robert Francis, is able to examine all options and design solutions. No budget boundaries have been set in respect of his considerations.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Blyth and Ashington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Government will introduce a full bereavement pension for people affected by the contaminated blood scandal in England.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
Work is currently underway across the government on a number of infected blood issues. I will update the House shortly on progress.
The (then) Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster wrote to the Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry on 2 July 2018, approving legal support funding for people infected, and their families. Details of how to apply for funding are on the Inquiry’s website - Statement of Approach: Legal Representation at Public Expense.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Blyth and Ashington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to ensure victims and their families involved in the contaminated blood scandal are able to access the necessary legal support required.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
Work is currently underway across the government on a number of infected blood issues. I will update the House shortly on progress.
The (then) Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster wrote to the Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry on 2 July 2018, approving legal support funding for people infected, and their families. Details of how to apply for funding are on the Inquiry’s website - Statement of Approach: Legal Representation at Public Expense.