§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the port of Tilbury will be subject to the windfall tax. [7067]
§ Mr. Geoffrey Robinson[holding answer 7 July 1997]: No. Details of those companies falling within the scope of the windfall tax were set out in the Inland Revenue press notice on the windfall tax issued after the Chancellor's Budget statement on 2 July.
§ Mr. Ian BruceTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will investigate the disclosure of information relating to the windfall tax contained in the Budget to managers of the privatised industries prior to the Budget statement. [7092]
§ Mr. Robinson[holding answer 7 July 1997]: No. I see no reason for such an investigation as there was no such disclosure. In designing the windfall tax the Government deliberately sought representations from organisations on the technical aspects of the tax: over 50 responded. This process, and the extensive consultations with the regulators, helped the overall design of the tax. All this is public knowledge.