Northern Ireland Office ministers were tonight branded incapable of taking decisions without wasting huge sums on consultants.
Alliance MLA Mr Seamus Close, reacting angrily to millions more being spent on external advisors, claimed this was a result of being governed from London.
"It can be taken as a sign of the incompetence of the current stream of ministers who would appear to be incapable of taking decisions without spending millions of pounds.
"They are remote control ministers so obviously these figures would be inclined to prove that point," he said. The Lagan Valley MLA added: "We have a highly qualified civil service and part of the job of civil servants is to give advice to ministers. And the job of the minister is to take decisions."
The latest figures revealed that spending on outside consultants fees had soared by more than £8 million in a single year.
Finance Minister, Mr Ian Pearson told Parliament that the British government's bill for external consultants and advisers in 2003/04 was £43,436,915.
This compares to a total of £35,267,313 in the previous year and £31,274,849 in 2001/02. The total includes government agencies and quangos, as well as ministerial departments.
Mr Close said the figures emphasised the importance of a successful conclusion to talks aimed at restoring devolution to Northern Ireland.
"It's a further clear example of why we really need to get our act together and get power into our own hands." Sinn Fein Finance spokesman Mr Francie Molloy said his party had already expressed concern at the rising cost of advisors and the way contracts had been awarded during devolution.
PA