Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, 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.

DWP engages external contractors through a Crown Commercial Service neutral vendor contract. Each contractor is engaged for a set period and at an agreed daily rate. If it is necessary to extend the period of engagement then a new work order is put in place.

DWP pays consultancy companies on either a fixed price or a time and materials basis as agreed in the contract. A purchase order is put in place for the contract and DWP’s financial systems do not allow for overpayment against the purchase order. Where further work is required over and above that initially agreed then a variation to the contract and purchase order is put in place.