§ Mr. ArbuthnotTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps, when any notes on clauses on the Finance (No. 2) Bill 1988 are published, to make them available to interested members of the public.
§ Mr. Major[holding answer 6 May 1988]: No. These notes are designed for Members examining the Finance Bill in Committee. They serve a transitory purpose only and are not intended as a permanent record. The general public is already well served by press releases issued on Budget day and on publication of the Finance Bill. The Treasury's clause-by-clause summary of the Bill was reprinted in the Financial Times on 15 April.