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Mr. Welsh
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total annual cost of collection of VAT; how many VAT inspectors are currently in employment; and at what cost.
Mr. Robert Sheldon
, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th May 1975; Vol. 892, c. 154], gave the following information:It is estimated that the total cost of administering VAT in the current financial year will approach £70 million. About two-thirds of this represents pay and pension provision for the 10,500 staff currently employed on the control and administration of the tax. About 4,500 of this total are involved in making visits to registered traders, but it is not possible to identify the cost of this side of their work.