Michael Gove Private 7 7,000 is being offered to private sector consultants who are helping the UK government set up and conduct its testing system.

Last week, Sky News reported that Boston Consulting Group (BCG) had been paid about m 10 million for about 40 consultants to provide four months of work between the end of April and the end of August.

The broadcaster said the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSC) has received 10 to 15% discounts from the BCG, with rates ranging from 2, 2,400 to, 7,360 for most senior consultants for public sector work.

The government’s report comes amid criticism of the 12 12 billion test and trace system.

Gove acknowledges that government spending on consultants as a whole needs to be reduced.

Asked if the expenditure was a good use of public money, he said: “Yes.”

The minister in the cabinet office continued: “Two things – first, it is very important that we have all the necessary skills from the private and public sectors to improve the test.

“As I mentioned earlier, we have a higher level of testing in this country than in any other European country, we have improved the search for constant communication. Local health care teams are doing particularly well in that area

“Separately, I, as my colleague in the Cabinet Office, Lord Agnew, have made it clear that we need to reduce our spending on consultants as a whole, but in the meantime we will do everything we can to protect the NHS.” ”

Jonathan Ashworth, Shadow’s health secretary, described the figures as “really shocking”.

He said: “Testing and communication findings are failing to control the virus, which makes it even more embarrassing that so much money is not being spent on purposes that are not appropriate.”

Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson said: “Imagine for a second you were transposed into the karmic driven world of Earl.

“They’re providing these counselors with the equivalent of what a nurse earns in a year.”