HM Revenue and Customs spends £721m through AspireDepartment reduced its spending on IT outsourcing deal with Capgemini in 2010-11, but significantly increased expenditure with the firm itself.

The consortium signed to HM Revenue and Custom's (HMRC's) IT Aspire contract remains first on the tax collection agency's top 100 suppliers list, despite a 6% decrease in the amount spent through the contract, according to figures released by the department in response to a freedom of information request from GGC.

HMRC spent £721m through Aspire in 2010-11, compared with £765m in 2009-10. The contract with Capgemini and other IT suppliers dates back to 2003 and will run until 2017. Despite the fall for Aspire, HMRC's spending with Capgemini went up by 455%, with the firm coming ninth in the top 100 list. It spent £11m with the company in 2010-11, up from £2m in the previous year.