§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how much he estimates it costs to keep a count of the representations made to his Department on a specific subject; and why it should be disproportionately expensive to announce the number of such representations;
225W(2) why it is disproportionately expensive to list the names of organisations and individuals that have written to him about the level of Excise duty on oil products in the United Kingdom compared with the lower levels within the European Economic Community; and if he will state, at least, the number of such representations.
§ Mr. GraySince June this year over 750 representations have been made to my Department on energy prices. This number does not include letters replied to at official level or indirectly referred to me by other Departments. Taxation matters are, of course, a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer and I have received only five representations which make fuel Excise duty their main concern. Many representations refer to several types of energy or fuel products and cross-referencing each case to each subsidiary subject would be a disproportionately costly use of limited staff resources.