Gov't spends more than £6.2m on reports from external consultants

170 reports commissioned since October 2021

Government has spent more than £6.2m on reports from external consultants since October 2021.

Figures published by Chief Minister Alfred Cannan show 170 reports have been commissioned since the start of the current administration, with seven costing in excess of £250,000.

The details have been released following a Tynwald written question from Douglas South MHK Claire Christian, who wanted to know the cost for each report commissioned from an external provider since October 2021.

The actual costs haven't been included due to commercial confidentiality, but the information has been sorted into bands of spend.

Just one report, the ongoing Covid review, is expected to cost in excess of £1m.

Two fell into the second highest band of £750,000 to £1m - the KPMG report on government's economic strategy and a report into cost improvement by the Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for Manx Care.

Four cost between £250,000 and half a million pounds, while eight fell into the £100,000 to £250,000, including a review into the role of the Attorney General and a report by ARUP for the Cabinet Office on the Liverpool Ferry Terminal.

An Expol investigation commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care was among nine reports costing between £50,000 and £100,000.

A further 20 reports cost £20-50,000, including reviews into the Office of Human Resources and the regional swimming pools.

The report into the sex education curriculum, a review of the Chief Secretary's office and a report into birthrate planning were among the 34 reports costing £10-20,000, while a further 92 cost under £10,000.

Those falling into the lowest cost band include a report on the development and use of artificial intelligence, a cannabis based medicinal project, disability access at Laxey Glen and a feasibility study for mountain bike trails.

The published data excludes reports for capital schemes such as feasibility reports, data for the legislature and Manx National Heritage.