And it follows a profits warning on Tuesday by IT and management consultancy Cap Gemini, which prompted falls among technology stocks on European stock markets.

BBC: Alcatel website

The government has rejected claims by Labour that there is a conflict of interest between its health reforms and a management consultancy advising on them.

BBC: Private notice question: Health reforms

One recent Saturday night at Philadelphia airport, en route from her main home in Florida (when you travel as much as Ms Knapp, you might as well live where you want) to Frankfurt and London, she bumped into her opposite number at McKinsey, a management consultancy, who was on her way to New Delhi.

ECONOMIST: On a wing and a hotel room

He says he learned those skills with the management consultancy McKinsey, and says he tries to spend most of his time on the five to 10 really big things that will make a big difference to his companies.

BBC: Working Lives Kenya: CEO