§ Mr. Porterasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many official forms are currently issued by his Department; and how this compares with 1979.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe total number of forms issued to the public and businesses is not recorded. The Chancellor of the Exchequer's departments currently have some 1,524 different types of forms which are used by the public or businesses. Corresponding figures for 1979 are not available. In the first year following the publication of "Administrative Forms in Government" (Cmnd. 8504) in February 1982, 1,976 forms were reviewed, of which 452 were abolished.
The review of forms used by Government is continuing. Figures relating to progress from February this year to April 1984 should be available in May next year. Full details are given in the departmental progress reports contained in "Administrative Forms in Government: a progress report to the Prime Minister from the Management and Personnel Office", copies of which were placed in the Library on 23 March 1983.