CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We  consent  to the  references  to  our  firm  under  the  captions  "Experts",
"Financial  Highlights  Tables"  and  "Financial  Highlights"  in  the  Combined
Prospectus/Proxy  Statement of V.A.  Financial  Industries  Fund, V.A.  Relative
Value Fund, V.A.  Sovereign  Investors Fund, V.A. Strategic Income Fund and V.A.
Technology  Fund, each a series of the John Hancock  Declaration  Trust,  and of
Growth and Income  Fund,  Active  Bond Fund and Large Cap  Growth  Fund,  each a
series of the John  Hancock  Variable  Series  Trust I,  dated  March 24,  2003,
included  in this  Registration  Statement  on Form  N-14  of the  John  Hancock
Variable Series Trust I and;

To the references to our firm under the captions  "Financial  Highlights" in the
John Hancock  Financial  Industries  Fund, a portfolio in the series of the John
Hancock   Variable  Series  Trust  I,  Prospectus   dated  March  17,  2003  and
"Independent  Auditors" in the John Hancock Variable Series Trust I Statement of
Additional Information dated March 17, 2003 and;

To the references to our firm under the captions  "Financial  Highlights Tables"
and "Financial  Highlights"  in the Prospectus of Large Cap Growth Fund,  Growth
and  Income  Fund,  Managed  Fund,  Active  Bond  Fund and  Money  Market  Fund,
portfolios of the John Hancock Variable Series Trust I, dated September 19, 2002
and to the inclusion of our report,  dated February 6, 2003, with respect to the
financial  statements and financial  highlights included in the Annual Report of
John Hancock  Variable  Series  Trust I for the year ended  December 31, 2002 in
such  Prospectus;   and  "The  Trust's   Financial   Statements  and  Investment
Performance  Information";  and  "Independent  Auditors"  in  the  John  Hancock
Variable  Series Trust I Statement of  Additional  Information  dated October 7,
2002;  and to the  incorporation  by reference of our report,  dated February 8,
2002, with respect to the financial statements and financial highlights included
in the Annual  Report of the John Hancock  Variable  Series Trust I for the year
ended December 31, 2001 in such Statement of Additional Information; and

To the references to our firm under the captions  "Financial  Highlights" in the
Prospectus of V.A.  Relative Value Fund, V.A.  Financial  Industries  Fund, V.A.
Technology Fund, V.A. Strategic Income Fund and V.A.  Sovereign  Investors Fund,
the  portfolio's  comprising the John Hancock  Declaration  Trust,  dated May 1,
2002;  and  "Independent  Auditors" in the Statement of  Additional  Information
dated July 25, 2002 of the John Hancock  Declaration Trust; and to the inclusion
of our reports, dated February 7, 2003, with respect to the financial statements
and  financial  highlights  included in the Annual  Reports of the John  Hancock
Declaration  Trust for the year ended  December  31, 2001 in such  Statement  of
Additional  Information included in the Combined  Prospectus/Proxy  Statement in
the  Registration  Statement  on Form N-14 of the John Hancock  Variable  Series
Trust I.



                                                        /s/ERNST & YOUNG LLP


Boston, Massachusetts
February 21, 2003