Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultants they have used in the (1) planning, and (2) rollout, of the COVID-19 test and trace system.

Around 2500 consultants from approximately 72 different consultancies have been hired by the Department for any period from 1 March 2020 to the present day to undertake work on the planning and then rollout of the NHS Test and Trace programme. The figures have changed week on week since the programme began. Information how these figures are apportioned between the planning and rollout phases is not held in an appropriate format and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

In financial year 20-21, £450 million is budgeted for Professional Services, which includes management consultants. This was revised on 28 Feb 2021 from £438 million. We do not have an audited figure which differentiates between what was spent on the planning and the rollout stages of the Test and Trace Programme. Audited annual accounts will be published later this year for the Test and Trace Programme.

Every consultancy contract awarded by the Department contains a set of service objectives and activities which the suppliers will deliver. These are set out in the individual contracts which are published. The service objectives are linked to the overall programme plan and

business objectives for the Test and Trace initiative. Each contract has a different timeframe for the delivery and completion of its objectives; progress and performance is monitored by regular meetings and engagement with the supplier.

£450 million of the £22 billion funding for Test and Trace, is allocated to ‘professional services’ which includes management consultants. Audited annual accounts will be published later this year for the Test and Trace Programme.