§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make a statement on the steps taken to date to publicise his decision to downgrade the Borders Customs and Excise value added tax advisory functions presently provided in Galashiels;
(2) what reductions in the provision of advice on value added tax will occur as a result of the decision to withdraw Her Majesty's Customs and Excise value added tax services from Galashiels to the regional office in Edinburgh;
(3) whether he will reconsider his decision to remove to Edinburgh the value added tax advisory service currently offered to the business community in the Borders area; and if he will make a statement;
(4) what estimate has been made of the effect on value added tax revenues from the Borders area after value added tax advisory services are withdrawn from the local Customs and Excise office in Galashiels;
(5) what savings he expects to accrue as a result of the withdrawal of locally provided value added tax advice by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise officers in Scotland after implementation of the forthcoming changes agreed in September 1985.
§ Mr. BrookeThe arrangements by Customs and Excise for providing an inquiry service to the business community and the public was reviewed as part of the Government's programme aimed at improving efficiency in the Civil Service. The recommendations which were accepted by the Government are intended to provide a more comprehensive and effective service rather than achieve specific savings. The inquiries will be channelled to a limited number of main Customs offices and dealt with by trained staff. Details of the offices providing information will be shown in the local telephone directories. The revised arrangements are not expected to have any effect on the VAT revenue.
§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment has been made of the ability of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise to maintain a regular programme of visits to local business men in the Borders after the implementation of the withdrawal of the value added tax advisory service to Edinburgh.
§ Mr. BrookeThe changes proposed to the Customs and Excise public inquiries service will not affect the programme of control visits to registered VAT traders.