HC Deb 12 February 1998 vol 306 cc382-6W
Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what expenditure has been incurred by his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies(a) in 1996–97 and (b) since 1 May 1997 on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; if he will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each; and if he will make a statement. [26571]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 5 February 1998]:

£000
Department/ agency Type of research Expenditure in 1996–97 Expenditure since 1 May1997
Inland Revenue Various surveys 480 345
Customs & Excise Various surveys 110 135
HM Treasury Salary surveys 1 7
National Savings Opinion polling 290 183
Focus groups 82 61
Other market research 7 127
Office for National Statistics Social surveys 12,000 8,000
Royal Mint Product survey — 8

Survey Purpose
Inland Revenue:
1996–97
SA Public Information Campaign Research to track levels of awareness, knowledge and understanding of Self Assessment, and to monitor understanding of the help and advice available from the Inland Revenue to help taxpayers cope with the new system.
SA Tax Return Continuing the testing and development of the Self Assessment Tax Return with taxpayers and their advisers so that it is as easy to use as possible.
Packaging of SA Tax Return Research into the impact of the packaging of the new Self Assessment Tax return.
Survey of SA taxpayers Research into the impressions of taxpayers on the new Self Assessment Tax return.
Electronic Version of the Return Research into the impact and ease of use of the electronic version of the Self Assessment Tax Return.
SA Education Programme Research into the satisfaction of professional tax advisers and employers with the Self Assessment Education programme.
Statement of Account Research into taxpayer reaction to the help they received in understanding the Statement of Account.
Good Design Consultancy Study on the role of good design within both private and public sector organisations.
Employers' Helpline Tracking research for the Employers' Helpline, run on behalf of the Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise, and the Contributions Agency.1
Survey of Disabled taxpayers Research into the needs of disabled taxpayers.

Survey Purpose
Views on Leaflet P3 Research into how easy it is to understand the explanatory leaflet for the Notice of Coding (leaflet P3).
Views on Form P2 Research into whether the revised Notice of Coding (form P2) had met taxpayer needs.
Views on Form P161 Research into whether the revised form (P161) which asks for additional information about income sources when a taxpayer retires is easier to complete.
Views on Form R37 Research into taxpayer views of the form (R37) which is used to claim a repayment of tax.
PAYE/NIC compliance costs To measure the overall compliance burden on business.2
1997–98 Post 1 May
Customer Service Performance Indicator Re-run of survey of main customer groups.3
SA Public Information Campaign Purpose as for 1996–97, plus developmental research into elements of the campaign (including the 1997–98 tax return insert and the SA 352 penalties leaflet).4
SA Customer Service Evaluation Market Research to evaluate the effectiveness of customer service initiatives for Self Assessment.
Methods of Payment Research into taxpayer views on different methods of payment.
Survey of PEP/TESSA Holders Analysis of combined holdings over £20,000.
Various Omnibus surveys Characteristics of PEP/TESSA holders, amounts saved and savers attitudes to tax-free savings accounts.
PAYE/NIC compliance costs To measure the overall compliance burden on business (see also 1996–97).2
1 Each department contributed towards the cost of this exercise. The figure included in the overall calculation represents the Inland Revenue's share only.
2 Chancellor's Department. share of spending include for that particular year on a project originally contracted in 1995.
3 Work on-going. Expenditure included that will be incurred at end of project.
4 Estimate of expenditure at year end included.

Survey Purpose
Customs and Excise:
Commissioned in 1996–97
Employer's Helpline Campaign (Tripartite activity also involving the Contributions Agency and Inland Revenue) Conducted in three stages to track awareness of government helplines; measure the effectiveness of the Employer's Helpline advertising campaign; measure the decline in awareness of the Helpline over time.

Survey Purpose
Omnibus survey and international passenger survey Surveys are run by the office for National Statistics. C&E commissions questions within the surveys to obtain data for estimating tax revenue lost through cross border shopping.
Trade statistics Customer satisfaction survey to assess quality of overseas trade statistics.
Passenger surveys (as part of the Traveller's Charter) Survey into C&E service and performance at selected ports and airports.
Business Advice Centre surveys Five surveys to gauge customer satisfaction and quality of service.
Customer service insolvency questionnaire To gauge the quality of service given to insolvency practitioners.
Commissioned since 1 May 1997
Alcohol and tobacco smuggling— quantitative Designed as a cost effective and speedy way to measure public awareness and understanding of "smuggling"—through the Whitehall "Omnibus Survey" system.
Alcohol and tobacco smuggling— qualitative Designed and conducted to establish attitudes to smuggling. Used to assess potential effectiveness of current anti-smuggling publicity strategy proposals and to ensure value for money in communications planning.
Omnibus survey and international passenger survey As in 1996–97.
Business Advice Centre surveys As in 1996–97.
Quality of service survey Follow-up to a survey conducted in 1995 to obtain feedback on the level of service given by the London Central VAT Advice Centre.
Customer focus project Qualitative diagnostic study carried out by MORI to inform the future direction of the VAT and Excise businesses and to identify areas for further research.
Business news readership survey Post implementation review seeking views from the external readership about usefulness and suggestions on improvement.
VAT compliance survey To identify the compliance behaviour of traders.

Note:

The list excludes statistical surveys which Customs & Excise are required by law to undertake; an opinion poll carried out in 1996 on Intrastat, paid for by the European Commission; general internal surveys canvassing staff opinion.

Survey Purpose
National Savings:
The purpose of all research is to help National Savings to operate efficiently and effectively in a competitive retail savings market. The detail of the research is commercially sensitive.
Survey Purpose
Office for National Statistics:
Labour Force Survey Measures of employment and unemployment on international standard definitions.
Family Expenditure Survey Expenditure patterns of households needed for, amongst other uses, calculation of retail price index weights.
International Passenger Survey Numbers and expenditure of tourists needed for input to balance of payments and tourism policy.
General Household Survey Demographic, social and health data needed for social policy purposes.
Royal Mint:
Product survey Survey of views on Royal Mint products.

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