§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Industry why it took his Department until 24 June to write to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West to advise him that the matter upon which he had written on 11 June concerning the effects of the European Community directive on value added tax on used vehicles was not within the scope of his Department but was within the scope of the Treasury.
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§ Mr. ButcherI am sorry that the hon. Member finds the delay excessive. The subject raised by his constituent was one in which the Department had an apparent interest; it was therefore first necessary to establish where the principal responsibility lay within Government. The correspondence was then transferred accordingly.