Dept of Education squanders £2m on consultants

01 June 2011

Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister MLA:

“I am appalled to learn that since April 2007 the Department of Education has spent in excess of £2,000,000.00 of tax payer’s money on external consultants.

“That the Department  could squander £2,161,432 on consultants while failing to actually do anything to solve the selection crisis which has caused so much heartache across our Province is a scandal.

“I have already asked a number of other government departments how much they have spent on external consultants since the restoration of devolution and will be challenging all of them in due course to reveal how much public money has been used in such a fashion.”

Note to editors:

The Written Question from Mr Allister and the reply received was as follows:

To ask the Minister of Education to detail the cost to his Department of engaging external consultants in each financial year since May 2007

Answer:

Details of expenditure by the Department on external consultants in each financial year from 2007 – 08 to 2010 – 11 are provided in the table below.

Although the request was from May 2007, the total expenditure for 2007 – 08 includes April 2007 expenditure as departmental records are in financial years. Figures for 2010 – 11 are provisional and subject to audit.

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