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]
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.
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]
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:
2. Review of North Sea Fiscal regime
3. Review of Charity Taxation
4. Review of Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud
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.
6. Review of research and development
7. Review of the calculation of vehicle excise duty for lorries
8. Review of Public/Private Partnership Options for the Royal Mint
9. Review of Graduated Vehicle Excise Duty for cars
10. Consultation on a potential Aggregates Tax
11. Review of Double Taxation of companies
12. Review of General Anti Avoidance Rule
13. Review of VAT Registration Limits
14. VAT Group Treatment
15. Review of Employee Share Ownership
16. Taskforce on the Industrial Use of Energy
17. Review of Banking Services in the UK
18. Efficiency Review of the Office for National Statistics
19. Private Finance Taskforce
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
22. Policy Action Team: Access to Financial Services
23. Enterprise Management Incentives scheme
24. Review of Company Car Taxation
25. Further review of capital gains of companies
26. Review of Landfill Tax
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.
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]
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.