SEVENTEEN central Government departments spent almost £300 million on civil servant pay-offs last year, official figures show.
Cabinet Office data reveals the Ministry of Justice recorded a high of £89 million in exit payments for staff in 2012/13, followed by the Department of Work and Pensions' £67 million.
The total pay-offs made to core staff at the 17 main central Government departments was £290 million, the data suggests.
The Cabinet Office figures also highlight that the same Whitehall departments simultaneously paid out £505 million on consultants and short-term staff, listed as "consultancy and contingent labour".
Both figures increase if non-departmental public bodies, such as the Environment Agency and the Homes and Communities Agency are considered.
Analysis of the data placed the overall cost of consultants and temporary staff at nearer to £800 million for the 17 departments. The research stated this was calculated by considering the money spent on specialists helping with projects such as HS2and the West Coast Main Line railway.
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