Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether any (a) external contractors and (b) consultancy companies engaged by his Department have charged more than the initial price agreed for their services since May 2010.

The Department's embedded processes, including three-way invoice matching via DCLG finance systems, prevent contractors being paid in excess of agreed contracted amounts for goods and services. Any payment made as a result of contract variation or permitted extension would be for additional or revised work only and still subject to full supporting contractual documentation.