Three month consultancy bill for the DWP?

This one made me angry and chuckle at the same time,

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much her Department spent on consultants in 2009.

Jim Knight: The Department has spent £9.7 million on management consultants in the three months from January to March 2009, the latest period for which validated figures are available. This represents a 49 per cent. reduction on the equivalent period in 2008.

Have to love the way he makes £9.7 million of spending over three months sound like value for money with the "look, we know we're pissing it up the wall but we're not pissing half as high anymore!"