§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the former head of Inland Revenue special office 2; and on what date he was last performing his official duties.
§ Mr. DorrellThe officer concerned was suspended from duty on 11 September 1992. Investigations were commenced by the Metropolitan and City police company fraud department and these investigations are continuing.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will identify the functions and purposes of Inland Revenue special office 2, together with its staff establishment and annual cost in 1992–93.
§ Mr. DorrellSpecial office 2 is one of 10 offices in the Inland Revenue which specialise in the investigation of difficult or complex cases which are outside the scope of other parts of the Department, involving mainly avoidance and non-compliance where large amounts of tax are at stake. Special office 2 is based in London.
For 1992–93, there were 15 staff and the cost of running the office was £685,000.