HC Deb 05 May 1998 vol 311 cc335-6W
Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what indemnity is offered to consumers for errors in tax status as a result of using the EVR system. [39927]

Dawn Primarolo

The Electronic Version of the Tax Return (EVR) has the same status as a conventional paper Return and carries with it no indemnities for error in completion. The taxpayer is required to sign the same declaration on the EVR as on Paper returns.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the future development of the EVR system. [39925]

Dawn Primarolo

There are no immediate plans to develop the EVR system further. The Inland Revenue is looking at possible options and will consult appropriately when it is in a position to make proposals.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of EVR have been issued to taxpayers since its launch; and how many have been used. [39924]

Dawn Primarolo

Just over 120,000 copies of the EVR have been issued to taxpayers since its launch. For the tax year 1996–97 around 70,000 copies were issued and at least 28,000 were used to file a tax return. For the 1997–98 tax year just over 50,000 copies of the EVR have been issued to date.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the profit made by Her Majesty's Treasury following sales of EVR. [39926]

Dawn Primarolo

The EVR pack is not sold but is freely available to any taxpayer who requests it. There is therefore no profit attached to provision of the EVR.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the amount spent by the Inland Revenue on developing and marketing the electronic version of the return EVR system. [39922]

Dawn Primarolo

The amount spent by the Inland Revenue on project managing, prototyping, developing and testing the electronic version of the return was £600,000. There were no marketing costs as the EVR is offered to individual taxpayers only as an alternative to the paper return.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what payments(a) Her Majesty's Treasury and (b) the Inland Revenue have made over the last two years to EDS for the development of the EVR system. [39923]

Dawn Primarolo

The Inland Revenue, a Department of Her Majesty's Treasury, has paid £201,000 to EDS for the IT development of the EVR system.