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Department for Business and Trade: Consultants

Asked by Andrew GriffithConservativeDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 3 December 2025UIN 95310

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's publication entitled DBT: Workforce management information October 2025, for what purpose the Department's non-payroll staff consultancy costs increased to £4,345,742.86 for October 2025.

Answered by Kate Dearden

Spend on Consultancy does vary month to month dependent upon which projects are underway through the year. An even spread is not expected. While consultancy costs for October 2025 are broadly in line with July and August 2025, they do appear as being significantly above those in September 2025. However, in September 2025, a correction exercise was undertaken whereby costs were removed and correctly reclassified having the effect of artificially lowering the September consultancy costs.

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