HC Deb 05 May 1999 vol 330 cc395-401W
Mr. Maclean

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what(a) reviews, (b) task forces and (c) advisory groups have been established by his Department since 1 May

Title Reports
Comprehensive Spending Review CSR White Paper 14 July 1998
Review of North Sea Fiscal Regime The Chancellor announced on 7 September 1998 in a press release that the Government had been monitoring changes in oil prices and that at the current low level of oil prices it would not be right at this stage to proceed with reform of the regime
Review of Charity Taxation Consultation document published 9 March 1999. Responses invited by 31 August 1999
Review of Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud Report published 28 July 1998
Government Taskforce on Tax and Benefits Announcement on 17 March 1998
Review of Landfill Tax Financial Statement and Budget Report 18 March 1998
Review on the Revenue Effect of a reduced rate of VAT for energy efficient material and alternative options for targeted relief to help those on low incomes to save energy. Report on the effect of a reduced rate of VAT for schemes helping the less well off insulate their homes published November 1998
Review of PFI (Public/Private Partnerships) >Sir Malcolm Bates report published 13 June 1997
Review of Research and Development Consultation document published on Budget Day 1998, comments were also invited in respect of various Inland Revenue Technical notes published on 14 January and 10 March 1999
Review of the calculation of Vehicle Excise Duty for lorries Not yet reported
Review of Public/Private Partnership options for the Royal Mint Not yet reported
Review of Company Car Taxation New emission's-based approach announced in March 1999 Budget
Review of graduated Vehicle Excise Duty for cars Consultation document published with the Pre-Budget Report November 1998. £100 rate for cars up to 1,100 cc from 1 June 1999 and emissions-based approach from Autumn 2000 announced in March 1999 Budget
Consultation on a potential Aggregates Tax Consultation document published on 15 June 1998
Review of Double Taxation of companies A discussion paper was published 12 March 1999—ongoing
Enterprise Management Incentives >New scheme announced in 1999 Budget. Technical note published. Advisory Group will help draw up details to be published in the autumn legislation to follow in Finance Bill 2000
Review of General Anti-Avoidance Rule On Budget day 9 March 1999, Official Report, columns 173–90, the Chancellor unveiled a substantial package of measures designed to attack avoidance and safeguard future revenue. He said that a general anti-avoidance rule (GAAR) for corporate direct taxes remained an option for the future if more targeted legislation proved ineffective in dealing with the problem of avoidance, but that the Government would not proceed with a GAAR in this Budget or with a mini-GAAR for VAT on construction services. Consultation documents published on 5 October 1998 (direct taxes) and on 20 January 1999 (VAT)

1997; what costs they have incurred to date; and what reports they have published. [71510]

Ms Hewitt

The reviews, task forces and advisory groups established by the Chancellor's departments since 1 May 1997, and reports published to date are as follows:

Title >Reports
Second review of Private Finance Initiative The Government have received a report and will respond in due course
Task Force on Industrial use of Energy >Report by Lord Marshall 'Economic instruments and the business use of energy' published with the Pre Budget Report on 3 November 1998
Review of Banking services in the UK Consultation document published 25 January 1999
Review of Employee Share Ownership Consultation document was published on 18 December 1998. New scheme announced in 1999 Budget. Technical note published 10 March 1999. Advisory Group will help draw up details to be published in the autumn, with legislation to follow in Finance Bill 2000
Further review of the Capital Gains of companies Ongoing
New Deal Taskforce 'Meeting the Needs of the Disadvantaged' November 1998; 'Business Participation in Welfare-to-Work: Lessons from the United States' January 1999
Efficiency review of the Office for National Statistics Announced by the Economic Secretary on 16 February 1999
Review of average earnings figures >Report on Review of average earning figures was published on 1 March 1999
Review of central government civil procurement >Not yet reported
Smaller quoted companies working group >Report 'Smaller Quoted Companies: a report to the Paymaster General', published November 1998
Task force on Banks Assistance to Credit Unions >Not yet reported
Working group of financing high technology companies Report: Financing of High Technology Business: a report to the Paymaster General. November 1998
Policy Action Team: Business Not yet reported
Policy Action Team: Access to financial service Not yet reported
Private Finance Taskforce Ongoing
Standing Committee on preparations for EMU Ongoing
Business Advisory Group on EMU Report 'EMU: Report from the Business Advisory Group' published January 1998
Review of VAT registration limits Measures announced in March 1999 Budget and publication of Summary Report on representations received
VAT group treatment Measures announced in March 1999 Budget and publication of Summary Report on representations received
Inquiry into lower rate ring-fenced tonnage based tax and enhanced training incentives Inquiry announced in 9 March 1999 Budget

The costs of collecting information on the costs incurred to date by each review, task force and advisory body are disproportionate.

Dr. Tony Wright

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a list of (1) task forces and (2) policy reviews established by his Department since May 1997 which(a) had external members recruited by way of public advertisement, and details of any person so appointed and (b) engaged in public consultation exercises, and the form that these took. [74458]

Ms Hewitt

The Taskforces and reviews established by the Chancellor's departments since May 1997 which had members recruited by public advertisement or undertook public consultation are listed.

1. The Comprehensive Spending review:

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. The terms of reference were made available. Extensive consultations were undertaken in the course of 24 main departmental and 6 cross departmental reviews. Individual departments also approached interested bodies.

2. Review of North Sea Fiscal regime

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. Industry views were invited and discussions took place between Summer 1997 and March 1998. The Chancellor announced on 7 September 1998 in a press release that the 398 Government had been monitoring changes in oil prices and that at the current low level of oil prices it would not be right at this stage to proceed with reform of the regime.

3. Review of Charity Taxation

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement
  2. b. A consultation document was published on 9 March 1999.

4. Review of Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement
  2. b. A Joint Working Party was formed, drawn from the main alcohol and tobacco trade associations and interested Departments Representations were invited from anyone who felt they could contribute to the review. Since the Review was published in July 1998 further consultation groups have been formed with the trade to explore the costs to industry of implementing measures recommended by the Review.

5. Review of the Revenue Effect of a reduced Rate of VAT for Energy Efficient Material and alternative options for targeted relief to help those on low incomes to save energy.

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. Discussions have been held with representatives bodies

6. Review of research and development

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. A consultation document was published on 17 March 1998, comments were also invited in respect of various Inland Revenue technical notes published 14 January and 10 March 1999.

7. Review of the calculation of vehicle excise duty for lorries

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. No public consultation. A number of consultation groups, and an advisory panel including industry representatives and environmentalists.

8. Review of Public/Private Partnership Options for the Royal Mint

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. The Economic Secretary invited all major stakeholders to contribute to the review.

9. Review of Graduated Vehicle Excise Duty for cars

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. A consultation document was issued.

10. Consultation on a potential Aggregates Tax

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. A consultation document was published on 15 June 1998.

11. Review of Double Taxation of companies

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. A discussion paper was published on 12 March 1999

12. Review of General Anti Avoidance Rule

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. A consultation document was published on 5 October 1998

13. Review of VAT Registration Limits

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. A consultation document was published and meeting held with business.

14. VAT Group Treatment

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. A consultation document was published and meetings held with business.

15. Review of Employee Share Ownership

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. A consultation document was issued on 18 December 1998. Technical notes issued on 10 March 1999.

16. Taskforce on the Industrial Use of Energy

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. A consultation document was published in June 1998.
  3. c. A report was published in November 1998.

17. Review of Banking Services in the UK

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement
  2. b. A consultation document was published on 25 January 1999

18. Efficiency Review of the Office for National Statistics

  1. a. A firm of consultants, KPMG, was appointed after a public competition.
  2. b. No external public consultation has been undertaken.

19. Private Finance Taskforce

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. Draft standardisation documents were published for comment in October 1998. A consultation document on accounting PEI transactions was published in January 1999.

20. Task force on Banks' Assistance to Credit Unions

a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.

Date established Actual report date Expected report date Termination date
Comprehensive Spending Review 7 May 1997 14 July 1998 14 July 1998
Review of Alcohol and Tobacco Duties 2 July 1997 28 July 1998 28 July 1998
Taskforce on tax and benefits 19 May 1997 17 March 1998 17 March 1998

b. Regional discussion fora to listen to people's views have been held in Birmingham, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Newcastle.

21. Policy Action team: Business

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. Regional discussion fora to listen to people's views have been held in Birmingham, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Newcastle.

22. Policy Action Team: Access to Financial Services

  1. a. No external members recruited by public advertisement.
  2. b. Regional discussion fora to listen to people's views have been held in Birmingham, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Newcastle. A range of organisations have also been invited to make their view known.

23. Enterprise Management Incentives scheme

  1. a. No external members.
  2. b. Technical note issued 10 March 1999.

24. Review of Company Car Taxation

  1. a. No external members.
  2. b. Press notices on 9 March 1999 invited views on the reform

25. Further review of capital gains of companies

  1. a. No external members
  2. b. Informal meetings with representative bodies. A Working Group has been set up.

26. Review of Landfill Tax

  1. a. No external members
  2. b. A business brief was issued inviting comments.

Most Taskforces and reviews are short term exercises established to give thorough consideration to important and difficult issues. External members are invited to sit on some reviews and Taskforces to contribute specific experience and expertise. In such cases, public advertising would not be appropriate and would incur disproportionate cost.

Since 1 October 1998, appointments to those Taskforces and reviews which qualify for classification as advisory non-departmental public bodies have come within the remit of the Commissioner for public appointments.

Dr. Tony Wright

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list all those task forces and policy reviews with external members established by his Department since May 1997 which have set up(a) sub-groups, (b) working parties and (c) other subsidiary committees; [79251]

(2) if he will list for all task forces and policy reviews with external members established by his Department since May 1997 (a) their dates of establishment, (b) those which have issued final reports and their dates of publication, (c) those which have been terminated and their dates of termination and (d) for those bodies still in existence, expected reporting and termination dates. [79274]

Ms Hewitt

The information on task forces and policy reviews with external members established by the Chancellor's departments is listed.

Date established Actual report date Expected report date Termination date
Review on the Revenue Effect of a reduced rate of VAT for energy efficient material and alternative options for targeted relief to help those on low incomes to save energy 2 July 1997 November 1998 November 1998
Review of Private Finance Initiative 8 May 1997 13 June 1997 13 June 1997
Review of management recruitment incentives for high tech small and medium sized enterprises 19 March 1998 9 March 1999 9 March 1999
Second review of Private Finance Initiative 12 November 1998 22 March 1999 The Government have received a report and will respond in due course
Task force on industrial use of energy 19 March 1998 3 November 1998 3 November 1998
Review of Banking services in the UK 3 November 1998 December 1999 From end 1999
New Deal Taskforce 14 July 1997 No report-by date. The Taskforce may choose from time to time to publish reports into specific issues The Taskforce was appointed for two years initially, with a review in May 1999
Private Finance Taskforce 2 July 1997 Late Summer 1999
Efficiency review of the Office for National Statistics 13 July 1998 16 February 1999 16 February 1999
Review of average earnings figures 23 October 1998 1 March 1999 1 March 1999
Review of central government civil procurement December 1998 April 1999 April 1999
Smaller quoted companies working group August 1998 November 1998 November 1998
Task force on Banks Assistance to Credit Unions 28 July 1998 June 1999 June 1999
Working group on financing high technology companies November 1997 November 1998 November 1998
Policy Action Team 3: Business November 1998 31 July 1999 31 July 19991
Policy Action Team: Access to financial service October 1998 31 July 1999 31 July 1999
Inquiry into lower rate ring-fenced tonnage based tax and enhanced training incentives 9 March 1999 to be announced
1Expected date

Additionally, those which have set up (a), subgroups, (b) working parties and (c) other subsidiary committees are as follows: Comprehensive Spending Review: a, b, c Review of Alcohol and Tobacco Duties: a, b Task force on tax and benefits: a, b, c New Deal Task force: a, b Policy Action Team: Access to financial services: a.