Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the impact of spending on technical consultancy services on his Department since 2010.

The use of External Assistance is justified where it does not make economic sense for the Department to maintain all the specialist skills needed permanently in house. In many cases sourcing this expertise on a temporary, contractual basis can offer greater value for money than direct, permanent employment.

The department does not conduct assessments of this nature. Programme success is measured against delivery of the expected outcomes within the agreed time and cost parameters for that programme.