Ongoing Government consultation exercises

Chancellor Gordon Brown has reaffirmed the Government's commitment to openness and consultation. At his recent Treasury Select Committee appearance, he said:

"We should be as open as possible about those matters that we want to make final decisions on in the Budget, so people feel they are able to put forward their
views."

To accompany the publication of the Finance Bill today, this press notice sets out a list of the ongoing Government consultation exercises, giving details of where any consultation documents can be obtained, and the timetable for responses where appropriate.

Notes for editors

The Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise and HM Treasury published a joint Code of Practice on Consultation on 18 December 1997. The Code sets out the Government's commitment to consult on tax policy matters wherever it is sensible to do so. The text of the Code is available on the Internet at:

Inland Revenue

Customs & Excise

HM Treasury

Press enquiries concerning any of the consultation exercises should be directed to the relevant Press Offices.

SUBJECT	DETAILS	CONTACT POINT FOR ENQUIRIES
Research & Development	Joint Department of Trade and Industry/HM Treasury consultation document entitled "Innovating for the Future" published on Budget day.	Mike Nally Room 3.53 Technology and Standards Directorate Department of Trade and Industry 151 Buckingham Palace Road London SW1W 9SS Tel: 0207 215 1656 Jonathan Gershlick Room 85/G Enterprise and Growth Unit HM Treasury Parliament Street London SW1P 3AG Tel: 0207 270 5206
Capital Gains of Companies	Consultation announced in Budget day press release IR(22). Deadline for responses 30 June 1998	Richard J Thomas Inland Revenue Capital and Valuation Division Room 308 22 Kingsway London WC2B 6NR Tel: 0207 438 7497
Reform of Vehicle Excise Duty for cars	Consultation announced in Budget day press release HMT(16). Further details will be available later this year.	HM Treasury Public Enquiry Unit Parliament Street London SW1P 3AG Tel: 0207 2704558/ 4860/4870
Calculation of Vehicle Excise duty for lorries	Review announced by Budget day press release HMT(16).	HM Treasury Public Enquiry Unit Parliament Street London SW1P 3AG Tel: 0207 270 4558/4860/4870
Company car taxation	Consultation announced in Budget day press release IR(6). Comments invited on the case for replacing the existing discounts for business miles with discounts for low private mileage.	Guy Hooper, Personal Tax Division, West Wing Somerset House Strand London WC2R 1LB 0207 438 7211
Economic Instruments for Industrial and Commercial use of Energy	A study was announced in Budget day press release HMT(14). Sir Colin Marshall will lead a Whitehall taskforce to examine the case for using economic instruments to reduce industrial and commercial sector emissions of greenhouse gases. A further press release will follow shortly.	HM Treasury Public Enquiry Unit Parliament Street London SW1P 3AG Tel: 0207 270 4558/4860/4870
North Sea Oil	Consultation announced in Budget day press release IR(15). A full consultative document will be issued in mid-April.	Inland Revenue Information Centre South West Wing Bush House Strand London WC2B 4RD Tel: 0207 438 6420/6425
VAT registration limits	Consultation announced in Budget day press release C&E(1). A consultation document will be issued in the Spring.	HM Customs and Excise Public Relations Office New Kings Beam House 22 Upper Ground London SE1 9PJ Tel: 0207 865 5468/5471
Management recruitment incentives for high tech Small and Medium-sized Enterprises	The Government announced it's intention to consult on ways of incentivising managers through equity-based remuneration in Budget day press release HMT(7). Consultation will be launched in the summer.	HM Treasury Public Enquiry Unit Parliament Street London SW1P 3AG Tel: 0207 270 4558/4860/4870
General Anti-Avoidance Rule	A consultation document will be published by the Inland Revenue in May/June. Customs and Excise will also be consulting business on general anti-avoidance rules covering defined areas of VAT. Illustrative clauses will be published in the Summer.	Inland Revenue Information Centre South West Wing Bush House Strand London WC2B 4RD Tel: 0207 438 6420/6425 HM Customs and Excise Public Relations Office New Kings Beam House 22 Upper Ground London SE1 9PJ Tel: 0207 865 5468/5471
VAT group treatment	Consultation announced in Budget day press release C&E(10). A consultation document will be published in the Spring.	HM Customs and Excise Public Relations Office New Kings Beam House 22 Upper Ground London SE1 9PJ Tel 0207 865 5468/5471
Double Taxation Relief	Consultation announced in Budget day press release IR(14). A consultation document will be published in due course.	Inland Revenue Information Centre South West Wing Bush House Strand London WC2B 4RD Tel: 0207 438 6420/6425
Review of Charities taxation	First phase of consultation was announced in a press release on 2 July 1997. A consultation document will be published by the Chancellor's departments in May.	HM Customs and Excise Public Relations Office New Kings Beam House 22 Upper Ground London SE1 9PJ Tel 0207 865 5468/5471
Aggregates Tax	As part of further work on options to address the cost quarrying, a consultation document will be issued in the summer on the practicalities of administering an aggregates tax.	HM Customs & Excise Public Relations Office New Kings Beam House 22 Upper Ground London SE1 9PJ Tel: 0207 865 5468/5471

Press Notices 1998 January to June Index