Written questions by Carden.

How much his Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.

The table below gives the overall expenditure on consultancies in the last five financial years by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), On Vote Agencies, Executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies and Other Bodies (such as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Royal Hospital Chelsea, the Reserve Forces and Cadet Associations and International Military Services Ltd.). Financial YearConsultancy Expenditure (£million)2020-21109.6682021-22134.9422022-23149.1052023-2486.276 We have taken immediate action to stop all non-essential government consultancy spending in 2024-25 as part of our commitment to secure value for money for taxpayers, crack down on waste, and get a grip of MOD budgets

How much his Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.

The Department for Business and Trade is a newly formed Department established in February 2023. The new department absorbed the functions of the former Department for International Trade (DIT) and some of the functions of the former Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The amount spent on consultancy by both departments are as follows: YearDITBEIS2021£5,782£636,0002022£380,000£587,0002023£865,000£649,000 The Department publishes its annual expenditure on consultancy in its Annual Report and Accounts.

How much his Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.

The following table shows the amount the Department spent on consultancy fees, each year since 2021:Year2022/232021/222020/21Spend£4,092,000£252,815,000£188,978,000Source: the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts within the Accountability Report, in the table on expenditure on Consultancy, Agency and Temporary workers.The value for 2020/21 has been amended from previous Parliamentary Questions as a prior year adjustment for 2020/21 was reflected in the 2021/22 Annual Report and Accounts to account for £17,365,000 for the vaccine taskforce, which was transferred from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, amending the value for 2020/21 from £171,613,000 to £188,978,000. The table excludes the date for 2023/24. Fully audited figures for 2023/24 will be available upon the publication of the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts later this year.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.

Per the annual report and accounts published figures, the FCDO has spent the following amounts on consultancy fees since 2021:£2.7 million in 20/21£5.8 million in 21/22£4.3 million in 22/23£3.5 million in 23/24The reporting for the current financial year, Apr 2024 to Mar 2025, is not available and will be published in due course in 2025.The Government is committed to restoring the public finances and delivering value for the taxpayer. As part of this wider mission, the Government has pledged to reduce wasteful spend on non-essential and expensive consultants in order to save over £1.2 billion by 2026.

How much his Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) was created in February 2023, so no information is held for periods prior to that date. The Departments spend on Consultancy Fees in financial year 23/24 can be found in the 2023/24 Annual Report, available here.

Media and Sport, how much her Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.

2021-22 - The consultancy spend was £17.5m for DCMS core department as can be seen in note 4.3 page 146 of our laid annual report and accounts - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/638883e6d3bf7f3282be4061/DCMS_Annual_Report_and_Accounts_2021-22_-_web_accessible_version.pdf2022-23 - The consultancy spend was £9.1m for DCMS core department as can be seen in note 4.3 page 165 of our laid annual report and accounts - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/656e02469462260705c568ca/E03016038_HC_255_Dept_of_Culture__Media_and_Sport_ARA_2022-23_Accessible.pdf2023-24 - The consultancy spend was £2.6m for DCMS core department; this is within the total for the DCMS group consultancy spend of £15.2m as can be seen in note 4.3 page 167 of our laid annual report and accounts - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/673f1ae44ebce30ac7baf00d/E03231133_DCMS_ARA_2023-24_ACCESSIBLE.pdfThe figures for 2021-22 and 2022-23 are on a pre Machinery of Government basis and therefore included costings for Digital related activities that are transferred to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.The figures for consultancy spend after 1 April 2024 will not be available until our 2024-25 accounts have been laid in parliament and published.The Government is committed to restoring the public finances and delivering value for the taxpayer.As part of this wider mission, the Government has pledged to reduce wasteful spend on non-essential and expensive consultants in order to save over £1.2 billion by 2026.

Innovation and Technology, how much his Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.

DSIT was created by a Machinery of Government (MOG) change on 7 February 2023, we have not provided data prior to DSIT becoming a fully operational department. Departmental Group consultancy spend in financial year 23-24, as disclosed in 2023-24 Annual report & Accounts (ARA), was £24.0 million.We recognise the Government is committed to restoring the public finances and delivering value for the taxpayer. As part of this wider mission, the Government has pledged to reduce wasteful spend on non-essential and expensive consultants in order to save over £1.2 billion by 2026.

How much her Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.

The table shows the total departmental spend on consultancy for financial years 2020/2021 to 2023/2024. The total includes the central department (DfTc), Executive Agencies and Arm Length Bodies (ALBs). Departmental total spend (£)2020/21 175,720,8402021/22 198,001,7232022/23 225,477,7422023/24 165,372,920

Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.

Expenditure on consultancy is reported each year in the Annual Report and Accounts. For 2021-22, this is shown on page 111 athttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/635a7f1e8fa8f5653f83f4f0/defra-annual-report-2021-2022.pdf For 2022-23, this is shown on page 108 athttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/653a9479e6c9680014aa9be8/annual-report-and-accounts-2022-23.pdf The 2023-24 figures are being audited and are not yet finalised or published. The Government is committed to restoring the public finances and delivering value for the taxpayer. As part of this wider mission, the Government has pledged to reduce wasteful spend on non-essential and expensive consultants in order to save over £1.2 billion by 2026.

How much her Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.

The government is committed to restoring the public finances and delivering value for the taxpayer.As part of this wider mission, the government has pledged to reduce wasteful spend on non-essential and expensive consultants in order to save over £1.2 billion by 2026.The latest available data that has been audited and published as part of the Group Annual Report and Accounts, is linked below:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-education-consolidated-annual-report-and-accounts-2021-to-2022https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-education-consolidated-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-education-consolidated-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024The data for post-March 2024 is live and unaudited. Additionally, due to the department’s accruals accounting, the partial year’s data may be incomplete and misleading. Therefore, we are unable to provide data beyond March 2024.

Communities and Local Government, how much her Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.

The Government is committed to restoring the public finances and delivering value for the taxpayer.As part of this wider mission, the Government has pledged to reduce wasteful spend on non-essential and expensive consultants in order to save over £1.2 billion by 2026.Figures for consultancy spend are included each year in the Department's annual report. The corresponding figure for FY2024-25 is expected to be published by the end of July 2025.Details of contracts awarded valued at £10,000 (inc VAT) or more are published on: https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of exempting charities from the increase to employer National Insurance contributions.

The Government recognises the important role charities play in our society, and has made it a priority to reset the relationship with civil society by developing a Civil Society Covenant.To repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance.The Government recognises the need to protect the smallest businesses and charities, which is why we have more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning more than half of employers with NICs liabilities either gain or see no change next year. Charities will still be able to claim employer NICs reliefs including those for under 21s and under 25 apprentices, where eligible.More broadly, within the tax system, we provide support to charities through a range of reliefs and exemptions, including reliefs for charitable giving, with more than £6 billion in charitable reliefs provided to charities, CASCs and their donors in 2023 to 2024.

Whether the Chief Secretary to the Treasury has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence on increasing the fund for reparations payments to LGBT+ veterans.

Treasury Ministers regularly meets with Ministerial colleagues to discuss a range of issues. The LGBT Veterans Independent Report recommended a level of funding to be made available for those dismissed or discharged from service as a result of policy prohibiting homosexuality in the Armed Forces (‘the ban’). The details of the financial recognition scheme recommended by the report are still in development and approval, including the total fund to be made available by MoD in recognition of those dismissed, discharged, or otherwise impacted by the ban. The Scheme details will be announced in Parliament when the Government is ready to publish its response.

Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with football authorities about (a) inclusion and (b) accessibility for disabled fans.

The government recognises the great importance of sport and physical activity for disabled people at both the grassroots and elite levels. We recognise there are barriers which exist and prevent some people from taking part and spectating. We will continue to do all that we can to tackle these and are encouraging sport bodies to make sport more accessible.The government recently ratified the St Denis Convention. In doing so, we committed to providing an integrated safety, security and service approach at football matches and other sports events. The Sports Ground Safety Authority, one of DCMS’s Arm's-Length Bodies, has begun a partnership with the Council of Europe to better understand and promote the ‘safety’ and ‘service’ element of the convention to the benefit of all fans.

What steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Education to ensure that care leavers have adequate financial support, in the context of the cost of living.

There are already a number of easements in place within the benefit system to support particular groups – including care leavers. To support the additional challenges care leavers face, care leavers benefit from an exemption to the Shared Accommodation Rate (SAR) until the age of 25.

When he plans to respond to the email of 18 July 2024 from the hon. Member for Liverpool Walton on care supporters.

I have responded to the Hon. Member’s letter.

What steps her Department is taking to improve support for care leavers.

The department recognises that care leavers have poorer outcomes than their peers across all aspects of their lives. We want all those leaving care to have stable homes, access to health services, support to build lifelong loving relationships, and help to engage in education, employment and training. The department is committed to helping children thrive, and we want the best for every child and family. We want to build on the foundations laid by local authorities to create a care system that works for everyone.We have already begun this vital work. My right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, announced in his speech in September that we will bring forward legislation, when parliamentary time allows, to remove the local connection requirement for care leavers seeking access to social housing at the next available opportunity.In the King’s Speech, we committed to introduce a Children’s Wellbeing Bill to take forward further legislative changes needed to improve the children’s social care system, including support for care leavers.