Compliance Costs (Hansard, 1 February 2002)

§ Mr. Lidington
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the one year projects on taxes and duties other than VAT or corporation tax, referred to in the HM Customs and Excise website as planned for inclusion in the compliance costs programme of research. [21785]

§ Mr. Boateng
Customs and Excise planned to follow their study on VAT with studies into the compliance costs of Customs procedures for international trade and of Excise duties. The Revenue planned to follow the first year's study on corporation tax with a follow-up study, drawing on the earlier findings.

§ Mr. Lidington
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the dates on which the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise awarded the contracts for studies of the compliance costs to UK businesses of(a) corporation tax and (b) VAT. [21769]

§ Mr. Boateng
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Paymaster General to the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor) on 1 November 2001,Official Report, column 514W.

§ Mr. Lidington
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish (a) the emerging findings report and (b) the final reports of (i) the VAT compliance cost project and (ii) the corporation tax compliance cost project. [21771]

§ Mr. Boateng
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Paymaster General to the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Edward Davey) on 26 November 2001,Official Report, column 631W.

§ Mr. Lidington
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) which organisation has been awarded the contract from the Inland Revenue for a study of the compliance costs of corporation tax for UK businesses; what is the cost to public funds of that contract; and if he will make a statement; [21772]
(2) which organisation has been awarded the contract by Customs and Excise for a research study of the compliance costs of VAT for UK businesses; what is the cost to public funds of that contract; and if he will make a statement. [21773]
635W

§ Mr. Boateng
The contracts were awarded to the social research division of BMRB International Ltd. in September 2000. Information on the costs of individual contracts is Commercial-in-Confidence.