“This is a deep intrusion of the private sector into the public sphere”, points out the rapporteur Eliane Assassi. A Senate commission of inquiry submitted, Thursday, March 17, its report on the use by the State of private consulting firms. The text, a summary of which is available online, denounces a “sprawling phenomenon” and its growing cost to public finances.
“According to the elements transmitted by the ministries, the average cost of a day of [travail d’un] consultant amounts to 1,528 euros including tax for the period 2018-2020″, said Eliane Assassi, senator of the majority communist CRCE group, during a press conference. In 2021, the consulting expenses of the ministries reached 893.9 million euros, a net increase compared to 2018 (379.1 million).
“It is a political will, a choice of the government to call on consulting firms instead of the administration”lamented the rapporteur of the committee, even if the previous governments also used it.
The commission of inquiry sees several risks. Consulting firms have “for the habit of ‘prioritizing’ the proposed scenarios” to the administration requesting them, “which strengthens their weight in public decision-making”. And systematically appealing to them risks creating a “addiction” public authorities.
The text formulates nineteen proposals, including the publication of the list of consulting services ordered by the State and its operators, a systematic examination of those that exceed 150,000 euros and a ban on free services.
In mid-January, Prime Minister Jean Castex published a circular to regulate the use of “intellectual services”setting a target of reducing the budget allocated to them by 15% in 2022.
The chairman of the commission of inquiry, Arnaud Bazin (LR), also announced Thursday that the Senate would seize the public prosecutor for a “suspicion of false testimony” from the associate director of the firm McKinsey, who assured during his hearing that the company pays its taxes in France. “When we look at the last ten years, this tax is zero, because the tax result is systematically negative”, points out the senator, quoted by Public Senate. LR candidate for the presidential election Valérie Pécresse called on Emmanuel Macron to “explains itself on the massive recourse of the State” to the company.
Emmanuel Macron must explain himself on the massive recourse of the State to the company McKinsey whose Senate reveals that it does not pay its taxes in France. How could he not know? The outgoing President must be accountable.
— Valerie Pécresse (@vpecresse) March 17, 2022