Written question asked by Eilidh Whiteford (Scottish National Party) on Monday, 10 October 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 12 October 2011. It was answered by Lord Robathan (Conservative) on Tuesday, 18 October 2011 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Departmental Training

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many external training courses staff of his Department attended in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each course.

Answer: Expenditure on external training for civilian staff was £23.490 million in financial year 2010-11.External training suppliers are used to delivering specialist and functional training required to enable personnel to fulfil their professional role, where such training cannot be delivered internally or through common arrangements with other Departments. Such areas include medical, legal, engineering and technical.The number and cost of individual training courses undertaken is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Secondary information