§ Mr. Robert Cookeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the programme for repairs to the mechanisms of the Great Clock of the Palace of Westminster.
516Wwhen Section 5, part II of Statutory Instrument 1975 No. 1960 comes into effect on the day appointed under Section 68, Finance (No. 2) Act 1975; and what estimates he has made of the cost and numbers of extra local government employees that will be needed to do the checking.
§ Mr. FreesonThe Department of the Environment is not required to check such material-labour breakdown. No estimate has been made of the additional costs to local authorities that may be entailed, but I understand that the Inland Revenue has had extensive discussions with representative outside organisations so as to keep the administrative costs down to a minimum while maintaining the effectiveness of the scheme. The Inland Revenue have issued comprehensive guidance on the operation of the new Tax Deduction Scheme.