RSS feedsThe cost of developing ID cards for the UK, a central plank of the government's efforts to beat terrorism and deter illegal immigrants, has so far costs the taxpayer a staggering £17m, according to exclusive figures obtained by Management Consultancy under the Freedom of Information Act.
A huge proportion of the budget so far spent (£12m) was paid directly to PA Consulting, despite the fact that the ID cards bill has not yet reached a third reading in the House of Commons.
PA estimated the development and procurement phases of the project would cost £18.74m over the length of the two-year deal.
The Home Office revealed the figures in a disclosure exclusively obtained by Management Consultancy under the Freedom of Information Act.
The figures also disclosed that at least 62 consultants are working alongside 43 civil servants and one secondee.
In the FOI statement the Home Office said: 'The PA Consulting contract involves work on the design, feasibility testing, business case and procurement elements of the identity cards programme.
'The nature of the contract for this service is such that an outturn value is not defined; packages of work are agreed monthly. The Home Office has made no commitment to any contract value.
'Although the total value of the contract will not be known until the contract is concluded, I can tell you that the estimated prices given in the successful tender by the contractor were £9.87m for the development phase of the programme and £8.87m for the subsequent procurement phase.'
The Home Office said the 'average daily cost for each consultant working on the programme was £1,093'.
A PA spokesperson was unavailable for comment.
