§ Mr. MacShaneTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the impact on employee share ownership plans of the proposal by the accounting standards board to implement its urgent issues task force proposal in respect of employee share schemes; [3899]
(2) what discussions he has had with the accounting standards board about reporting employee share ownership schemes in profit and loss accounts. [3908]
§ Mrs. Angela KnightThe take-up of employee share ownership plans will be determined by a wide range of factors and it is not possible to make a precise estimate of the impact on take-up of individual factors. The Treasury has not discussed the UITF proposals with the ASB. However, I understand that the UITF has received a number of representations of concern about the inclusion of save as you earn employee share schemes within the scope of its proposals covering employee share schemes generally.