HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Responsibilities of Treasury Ministers [January 1999]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 8 January 1999.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown has decided the following allocation of Ministerial responsibilities:

CHIEF SECRETARY, ALAN MILBURN MP

• Public expenditure planning and control (including local authorities and nationalised industries finance).
• Value for money in the public services, including Public Service Agreements.
• Departmental Investment Strategies including Capital
  Modernisation Fund and Invest to Save budget.
• Public/Private Partnerships including Private Finance
  Initiative.
• Procurement policy.
• Public sector pay, including parliamentary pay, allowances and superannuation.
• Presentation of economic policy and economic briefing.
• Welfare reform.
• Devolution.
• Strategic oversight of banking, financial services and
  insurance.
• PSX (Public services and expenditure), QFL (Forward Legislation), GL (local government), HS (home and social affairs), and EA (economic affairs) committees.
• Resource Accounting and Budgeting.

PAYMASTER GENERAL, DAWN PRIMAROLO MP

• Minister responsible for Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise and the Treasury and with overall responsibility for tax and the Finance Bill.
• Personal taxation, NI contributions, tax credits.
• Business taxation, including corporation tax.
• Capital gains tax.
• Inheritance tax.
• VAT.
• European and International tax issues.

FINANCIAL SECRETARY, BARBARA ROCHE MP

• Growth, with responsibility for the growth unit and
  productivity agenda.
• Small firms and venture capital.
• Science, Research and Development.
• Welfare to Work issues.
• Competition and deregulation policy.
• Export Credit.
• Customs and Excise taxes, except VAT and road fuel duties.
• North Sea Taxation.
• Support to the Paymaster General on the Finance Bill.
• Parliamentary financial business, PAC, NAO.
•  LEG Committee (Current Legislation).
• Support to the Chief Secretary on the Financial Services & Markets Bill.

ECONOMIC SECRETARY, PATRICIA HEWITT MP

• Banking, financial services and insurance and support to the Chief Secretary on the Financial Services & Markets Bill.
• Foreign exchange reserves and debt management policy.
• Support to the Chancellor on EU and International issues.
• Responsibility for National Savings, the Debt Management Office, National Investment and Loans Office, Office of National Statistics, Royal Mint and the Government Actuary’s Department.
• Environmental issues, including ‘green’ taxes and other environmental economic instruments.
• Taxation of company cars and road fuel; Vehicle Excise Duty.
• Financial services tax issues (eg ISAs, stamp duty,
  pensions).
• Support to the Paymaster General on the Finance Bill.
• ESOPs.
• Treasury interest in general accountancy issues.
• Support to the Chief Secretary on Resource Accounting and Budgeting.
• Charities and charity taxation.
• Women’s issues.

MINISTER OF STATE, LORD SIMON

• EMU business preparations.
• Economic reform in Europe.
• Chairman of the Inter-departmental taskforce on
  competitiveness in Europe.
• Member of the (E)DOP Ministerial Sub Committee on European Issues.