To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when Aardvark Traffic Management Services of Worksop will obtain VAT registration following their November 2006 application. (116877)

[holding answer 19 January 2007]: HMRC has a responsibility to balance efficient processing of applications with rigorous, risk-based safeguards. HMRC aims to process VAT applications quickly and efficiently—however, where necessary, additional checks can take time. It is therefore not possible to estimate how long any specific application for VAT registration will take.