CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the references to our firm under the captions "Financial
Highlights" in the Prospectuses dated May 1, 2001 of the Portfolios constituting
John Hancock Declaration Trust and of the Portfolios constituting John Hancock
Variable Series Trust I ("VST"); and "Independent Auditors" and "Financial
Statements" in the Statement of Additional Information dated May 1, 2001 of the
Portfolios constituting John Hancock Declaration Trust and "The Trust's
Financial Statements and Investment Performance Information" and "Independent
Auditors" in the Statement of Additional Information dated May 1, 2001 of the
Portfolios constituting John Hancock Variable Series Trust I; and in the
Statement of Additional Information dated November 1, 2001 of John Hancock V.A.
Core Equity Fund, John Hancock V.A. Large Cap Growth Fund, John Hancock 500
Index Fund, John Hancock V.A. International Fund, John Hancock V.A. Mid Cap
Growth Fund, John Hancock V.A. Small Cap Growth Fund, John Hancock V.A. Bond
Fund, John Hancock V.A. Money Market Fund, John Hancock VST Growth & Income
Fund, John Hancock VST Equity Index Fund, John Hancock VST International Equity
Fund, John Hancock VST Fundamental Growth Fund, John Hancock VST Small Cap
Growth Fund, John Hancock VST Active Bond Fund, and John Hancock VST Money
Market Fund; and to the incorporation by reference of our reports dated February
9, 2001 with respect to the financial statements and financial highlights of the
Portfolios constituting John Hancock Declaration Trust included in the annual
report dated December 31, 2000, and dated February 13, 2001 with respect to the
financial statements and financial highlights of the Portfolios constituting
John Hancock Variable Series Trust I included in the annual report dated
December 31, 2000; which Prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information
are incorporated by reference in to the Combined Prospectus/Proxy Statement and
the Statement of Additional Information included in this Registration Statement
on Form N-14 of John Hancock Variable Series Trust I.

We also consent to the reference to our firm under the captions "Experts" and
"Financial Highlights" for the John Hancock V.A. Core Equity Fund, John Hancock
V.A. Large Cap Growth Fund, John Hancock 500 Index Fund, John Hancock V.A.
International Fund, John Hancock V.A. Mid Cap Growth Fund, John Hancock V.A.
Small Cap Growth Fund, John Hancock V.A. Bond Fund, John Hancock V.A. Money
Market Fund, John Hancock VST Growth & Income Fund, John Hancock VST Equity
Index Fund, John Hancock VST International Equity Fund, John Hancock VST
Fundamental Growth Fund, John Hancock VST Small Cap Growth Fund, John Hancock
VST Active Bond Fund, and John Hancock VST Money Market Fund, in the Combined
Prospectus/Proxy Statement in the Registration Statement on Form N-14 of John
Hancock Variable Series Trust I.


                                       /s/ERNST & YOUNG LLP
                                       --------------------
                                       ERNST & YOUNG LLP

Boston, Massachusetts
September 13, 2001