§ 10. Mr. Thurnhamasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will report progress being made in developing the system of annual performance reviews in his Department.
§ The Minister of State, Treasury (Mr. Barney Hayhoe)My right hon. Friend's departments are implementing the proposals reported to the House in last year's White Paper, "Financial Management in Government Deprtments." As promised in that White Paper, we will report progress in July.
§ Mr. ThurnhamIs my hon. Friend content with the drive for efficiency in the rest of the public sector?
§ Mr. HayhoeI am by no means content. If the rest of the public services were doing as well as we have been doing in the Civil Service, the position would be much improved. In local government, although we have seen some fall in numbers, the trend is going up. Certainly the Greater London council is behaving in a most irresponsible fashion over the recruitment of staff. I want to see the implementation of the Griffiths report on the National Health Service.
§ Mr. RookerWhen the Minister is considering value for money within his Department, will he examine the results of the Inland Revenue's in-depth investigation into company accounts? Last year it examined 5,300 accounts, as a result of which 4,100 companies had to pay increased tax for that year. Does he agree that an 80 per cent. return in this area of tax avoidance merits more investigation, not less, by the Inland Revenue?
§ Mr. HayhoeThat is precisely what the Government have done. The number of people in the investigation branch of the Inland Revenue has been increased significantly compared with the number available for that work under the Labour Government.