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Ministerial responsibilities

Chancellor of the Exchequer: Rt Hon Gordon Brown, MP
(biography and photograph)

The Chancellor has overall responsibility for the work of the Treasury.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury: Rt Hon Stephen Timms, MP
(biography and photograph)

  • Responsibility for public expenditure including:
    • Spending reviews and strategic planning;
    • In-year control
    • Public sector pay and pensions
    • Efficiency in public services
    • Capital investment; and
    • Public service delivery and PSA targets
  • Treasury interest in devolution;
  • Assist the Chancellor where necessary on International and European issues; and
  • Oversight of integration of the tax and benefit system.

Paymaster General: Rt Hon Dawn Primarolo, MP
(biography and photograph)

  • Strategic oversight of the UK tax system as a whole including direct, indirect, business and personal taxation;
  • Tax credits and integration of the tax and benefit system;
  • Departmental Minister for HM Revenue and Customs;
  • Overall responsibility for the Finance Bill;
  • European and international tax issues and assist where necessary on European issues;
  • The voluntary sector, charities, including Corporate Social Responsibility;
  • Treasury interest in childcare issues; and
  • Support to the Chief Secretary on public spending issues and selected Cabinet Committees.

Financial Secretary: John Healey, MP
(biography and photograph)

  • Enterprise and productivity including small business taxation and support to the Chancellor on economic reform;
  • Competition and better regulation;
  • Science policy, including implementation of the 10-year science strategy and the R&D tax credit;
  • Regional economic policy;
  • Urban regeneration and social exclusion including housing and planning;
  • Environmental issues including taxation of transport;
  • Taxation of oil;
  • Excise duties and gambling;
  • Public/Private Partnerships including Private Finance Initiative, and Partnerships UK;
  • Ministerial responsibility for the Office for National Statistics, the Royal Mint and Departmental Minister for HM Treasury;
  • Working with the Chief Secretary with responsibility for the Office of Government Commerce and procurement policy;
  • Support to the Chief Secretary on public spending issues including long-term challenges in the run up to the Comprehensive Spending Review and selected Cabinet Committees;
  • Assist where necessary on European issues; and
  • Working with the Paymaster General on the Finance Bill

Economic Secretary: Ed Balls, MP
(biography and photograph)

  • Financial services including: banking, insurance, and the Financial Services Authority and financial services tax issues (such as ISAs, taxation of savings, stamp duty, insurance premium tax and pensions);
  • Personal savings policy;
  • Foreign exchange reserves and debt management policy, with responsibility for National Savings and Investment, the Debt Management Office and the Government Actuaries Department;
  • Support to the Chancellor on EU and wider international finance issues;
  • EMU preparations;
  • Support to the Chief Secretary on public spending issues including long-term challenges for public spending and preparation of the Comprehensive Spending Review and selected Cabinet Committees;
  • Support to the Chancellor on macroeconomic and economic policy issues; and
  • Working with the Paymaster General on the Finance Bill.

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