ICT (External Consultants)

Oral Answers to Questions — Cabinet Office – in the House of Commons am 11:30 am ar 10 Mawrth 2010.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Sandra Gidley Sandra Gidley Shadow Health Minister 11:30, 10 Mawrth 2010

How many external consultants have been recruited by her Department to work on ICT projects in the last three years.

Photo of Dawn Butler Dawn Butler Assistant Whip, Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, Assistant Whip (HM Treasury), Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Young Citizens and Youth Engagement)

The Department examines requirements for external consultancy on a case-by-case basis. Cabinet Office is committed in the long term to upskilling the IT department in order to ensure that we reduce the requirement for external resources, and we are building in-house the capacity, culture and skills that are needed to increase efficiency.

Photo of Sandra Gidley Sandra Gidley Shadow Health Minister

If the Government are decreasing staff numbers and then giving the same jobs to consultants, how can we be sure that we are getting value for money? A neighbour who was working on a Government IT project within a Department refused to relocate and was then redeployed by a consultancy firm at a much higher salary. How can that sort of example represent value for money?

Photo of Dawn Butler Dawn Butler Assistant Whip, Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, Assistant Whip (HM Treasury), Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Young Citizens and Youth Engagement)

It is important that we consider a couple of areas. For instance, from 1 April 2009 the Cabinet Office required all proposed procurements for external resources to be approved by the external resources board. External resources are used only when the external supplier offers skills or resources that are not available within a Department, and offers value for money. [Interruption.] That, coupled with the upskilling of internal ICT departments, will ensure that the Department does secure value for money.

Photo of Joan Walley Joan Walley Llafur, Stoke-on-Trent North

May I say how much I agree with you, Mr. Speaker? It is so important that people at home can hear what is being said.

On consultants, may I say to my hon. Friend how important it is that we secure local procurement for the various contracts that exist? It is important to ensure that, when ICT is procured, there are local jobs for local people.

Photo of Dawn Butler Dawn Butler Assistant Whip, Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, Assistant Whip (HM Treasury), Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Young Citizens and Youth Engagement)

I thank my hon. Friend for championing, and ensuring that we have, local jobs for local people. We have to consider value for money and whether we have the skills in-house to provide the services and IT strategies that we need.

Photo of Patrick Cormack Patrick Cormack Chair, Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, Chair, Northern Ireland Affairs Committee

Will the Minister very kindly stop this assault on the English language? Can we drop these awful terms, such as "upskilling" and "third sector"?

Photo of Dawn Butler Dawn Butler Assistant Whip, Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, Assistant Whip (HM Treasury), Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Young Citizens and Youth Engagement)

Upskilling is now a recognised and understandable term. I apologise if the hon. Gentleman is put off by it, but I explain to him that it means that we will educate people further in the necessary skills that they need in order to do the job. I hope that that makes it clearer to him.