Press Releases

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.