Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the cost to the public purse was of expenditure by Ofgem on consulting services in each of the last three years.

Ofgem is an independent regulator and while DESNZ works closely Ofgem, it is directly accountable to Parliament for its performance.

Ofgem’s expenditure on other consultancy services for the past three years was:

• 2023-24: £18.8m
• 2022-23: £29.6m
• 2021-22: £23.4m

Ofgem attempts to minimise its reliance on external support by running targeted recruitment for the skills required to deliver its functions. Information on Ofgem’s expenditure is available in its annual reports (https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/about-us/ofgem-annual-reports).