Mitchell and Bacon
Austin Mitchell’s ‘aesthetic temperament’ is exposed in last month’s regular debate on Public Accounts Committee reports:
Mr. Mitchell: … the obsession with employing consultants. We employ them for every problem that comes up, and the resulting bill is enormous. Overall, it amounts to £70 billion or more, but the assumption is that the necessary expertise is no longer available in the civil service. …
The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury: Where did my hon. Friend get his figure of £70 billion for Government spending on consultants? For the record, the amount is £900 million. That total fell by 31 per cent. between 2005 and 2008 …
Mr. Mitchell: I admit that the figure that I quoted was my own concoction, but I did not hire a consultant—I made it up myself.
Mr. Bacon: I think that the Minister was getting a bit excited at the thought that suddenly there was nearly £70 billion that the Treasury did not know about that could be used for something. We all know the hon. Gentleman’s aesthetic temperament when it comes to statistics. I have completely forgotten what I wanted to say in this intervention! It was something to do with consultants and, if I remember, I shall let him know.
Mr. Mitchell: The figure includes consultants employed by local government.
Mr. Bacon: I have remembered what I wanted to say. …
Hansard reference: HC Deb 12 March 2009 c488-93. Similar Canadian nonsense is occasionally posted at Hansurdity.
