£2 billion on external consultants

A report questions the use of £2 billion on external consultancy fees by the British government(BBC News 19/6/2007). It says that in many cases the consultants are called in without investigating whether they will add value.
The matter raises serious questions in view of the expanding privatisation brought in by this government, following American practice shown to be corrupt where contracts are handed out to friends. Large corporations are making massive profits out of government contracts. In security private firms are handling matters which should be under rules and regulations set down for the conduct of governments. Private concerns are not so regulated and they operate deep secrecy.
When in local government I remember an external consultant talking about his recent work. During the session he referred to an earlier report he had written which had recommendations. No one had acted on the recommendations. How often are reports commissioned fro external consultants, who often charge sizeable sums, but are then left to gather dust? Certainly there have innumerable reports on equality matters which make serious recommendations which are not implemented.


This morning I attended a seminar on mental health and service delivery to bme communities. Report after report has stated the inadequate and inappropriate provision. One speaker state d that there would never be enough to fund mental health services. I responded by saying that huge sums were spent on vulnerable people with health problems in prison. It was stated that mental health budgets were diverted or misspent

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