§ Mr. GrayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue submitted the Supplementary Memorandum published in the 29th Report of the Committee of Public Accounts, Session 2002–03, HC 332; how the adjustments in transfer pricing cases in the three years to 31 March 2002 referred to in the memorandum arose in each year; and how many adjustments arose from (a) LBO and (b) International Division-led cases in each year. [126364]
§ Dawn PrimaroloThe number of adjustments was as follows:
LBO led Revenue policy (international) led
1999–2000 158 105 2000–01 195 72 2001–02 166 72
§ Mr. GrayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the criteria were by which the Commissioners of Inland Revenue individually qualified for performance pay in each year since 1999–2000; and what performance pay they(a) might have been paid and (b) were paid in each year. [126365]
§ Dawn PrimaroloThe Commissioners are members of the Senior Civil Service (SCS), and as such subject to the rules for SCS pay. In accordance with Government policy on pay in the civil service those rules provide for consolidated base pay and bonuses to be performance related. So in all years since 1999–2000 the Commissioners could receive performance related pay.
The pay of senior civil servants is reviewed annually by the Government, advised by the Senior Salaries Review Body. The pay of Permanent Secretaries, including the Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue, is determined by the Permanent Secretaries Remuneration Committee; in its deliberations, the Committee has decided to follow the broad lines of the pay system which applies to senior civil servants generally.
The table sets out the range of performance related base pay and bonus awards which the Commissioners might have been paid.
104W
Base pay (Percentage)
Bonus 1999–2000 0 to 10.5 Circa £300 to £400 2000–01 0 to 11 £300 2001–02 0 to 11 £300
Base pay (Percentage)
Bonus 2003–03 0 to 10 High 4.23 per cent., Medium 3 per cent.
2003–04 0 to 9 High 10.2 per cent., Medium 5.2 per cent.
The pay of the Commissioners and other Board members is set out, in bands of £5,000, in the Inland Revenue Annual Reports. Details of performance appraisal, and of consequential pay adjustments, are considered to be confidential to the individual concerned.
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of Inland Revenue postal enquiries received a complete response within 15 working days in each of the last 12 months. [126380]
§ Dawn PrimaroloThe total volume of correspondence, and the percentage dealt with in the Inland Revenue local office network within 15 working days, in each of the last 12 months were as follows:
Total post received (million)
Percentage dealt with within 15 days
2002 June 6.501 79.9 July 4.971 77.0 August 6.447 77.7 September 5.249 73.4 October 5.547 72.3 November 6.674 75.8 December 5.309 77.6 2003 January 6.619 78.4 February 5.957 83.3 March 6.104 84.0 April 5.503 85.6 May 7.568 79.6
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of telephone calls to local Inland Revenue offices were answered at the switchboard within 20 seconds in each of the last 12 months. [126381]
§ Dawn PrimaroloThe number and percentage of telephone calls answered within 20 seconds in the Inland Revenue local office network in each of the last 12 months were as follows:
105W
Number (million) Percentage 2002 June 2.575 89.6 July 3.296 88.5 August 2.763 90.4 September 2.959 88.8 October 3.129 92.7 November 2.982 93.3 December 2.231 92.0 2003 January 2.473 87.6 February 2.754 91.2 March 3.130 86.4 April 3.107 85.5 May 3.286 80.9 June 3.243 83.1
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of callers to Inland Revenue enquiry centres without an appointment were attended to within 15 minutes in each of the last 12 months. [126385]
§ Dawn PrimaroloThe number and percentage of personal callers to Inland Revenue Enquiry Centres attended to within 15 minutes in each of the last 12 months is as follows:
Number of callers attended to in
15 minutes (000s)
Percentage 2002 July 289.5 96.7 August 327.9 97.0 September 331.1 96.4 October 277.5 98.0 November 294.5 98.7 December 171.6 98.9 2003 January 561.2 97.6 February 283.7 97.9 March 298.7 97.5 April 318.2 88.3 May 465.3 69.3 June 336.3 72.1