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Patsy McGlone
28th September 2009
MCGLONE: CONSULTANCY SPEND NEEDS
TO BE VALUE FOR TAXPAYERS' MONEY
SDLP Mid-Ulster MLA Patsy
McGlone has said the high level of consultancy spending by Stormont
departments needs to be curtailed if value for tax-payers’ money is to be
delivered.
Mr McGlone has unearthed a £116million spend by departments through a
succession of Assembly questions to Stormont Ministers.
Mr McGlone said he was shocked at the figures: “Whilst I recognise that
government departments need to deliver to the highest standards and that
means brining in expert opinion on occasions, I am also worried the high
consultancy spending may not be providing value for money.
“There is the impression that high-ranking civil servants bring in outside
consultants to a certain project so that, if things go wrong, their backs
are covered and they can hide behind the opinion of the consultants. This
means we may need more value for money not only in the consultancy spend but
also in the wages already paid to civil servants.
“We could be forgiven for thinking that senior civil servant management has
been privatised in all but name.
“At the moment, the public are very concerned about where there tax pounds
end up and I have been inundated at my constituency office by constituents
annoyed over this high spending when their children cannot get jobs coming
out of school or university. They believe this money could have been better
spent on frontline services in health, education, roads and job creation;
things that affect their daily lives.
“People aren’t getting their lead from the top on this. DRD managed to spend
£7.4million, £8.6million and £15million in the years from 2004 until 2007.
That figure dropped to £780,000 last year. These are huge amounts of money.
“The SDLP will continue to highlight instances where we feel value for
taxpayers’ money is not being achieved and will update our New Priorities in
Difficult Times economic document giving a detailed and practical plan for
delivering savings at value for the taxpayers’ money.”
ENDS
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Private consultancy spending
|
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|
Department |
2004/05 |
2005/06 |
2006/07 |
2007/08 |
2008/09 |
|
OFMDFM |
£404,000 |
£830,000 |
£1,193,000 |
£2,758,000 |
£1,017,000 |
|
Environment |
£1,031,179 |
£1,292,223 |
£2,097,051 |
£2,131,030 |
£1,346,791 |
|
Education |
£765,799 |
£532,244 |
£905,600 |
£1,067,704 |
£665,009 |
|
DRD |
£7,439,749 |
£8,612,537 |
£15,938,633 |
£1,839,078 |
£781,444 |
|
Enterprise |
£3,206,000 |
£3,014,000 |
£3,232,000 |
£2,867,000 |
£3,291,000 |
|
Education |
£420,000 |
£620,000 |
£380,000 |
£600,000 |
£740,000 |
|
DSD |
£923,945 |
£719,511 |
£640,518 |
£760,597 |
£1,929,236 |
|
Culture |
£244,661 |
£197,378 |
£1,178,042 |
£3,373,393 |
£172,832 |
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Finance |
£2,650,000 |
£2,510,000 |
£4,370,000 |
£6,630,000 |
£4,900,000 |
|
Agriculture |
£1,820,000 |
£340,000 |
£780,000 |
£480,121 |
£488,450 |
|
Health |
£1,842,027 |
£2,168,466 |
£2,502,487 |
£2,312,561 |
£752,511 |
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