§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an assurance that the value added tax headquarters will remain in Liverpool; and if he will seek to transfer other work to Liverpool so as to consolidate the position of the headquarters.
§ Mr. Peter ReesThe part of Customs and Excise headquarters which is located in Liverpool cannot be excluded from the staff savings which are being required from the Civil Service, or from other reductions in complement necessitated by changing work patterns. Customs and Excise intends to maintain an assistant secretary command at Liverpool headquarters so long as sufficient headquarter work can be found for Liverpool to justify this, and to consider Liverpool as the location for any new headquarter work, provided that this can be done without impairing the operational efficiency of the Department. The staff side of the departmental Whitley council is being kept advised of developments.