Cost of planned reviews, forums and the national spending review to the country

Dear Her Majesty's Treasury,

I am writing to request an estimated costing for each of the
following reviews and forums individually and for the National
Spending Review; most of these are mentioned in the June budget as
follows:

1. The 2010 Spending Review
2. An independent commission chaired by John Hutton will undertake
a fundamental, structural review of public service pension
provision by Budget 2011.
3. Consult with business to review the taxation of intellectual
property, the support R&D tax credits provide for innovation and
the proposals of the Dyson Review.
4. It will establish a business forum, chaired by the Exchequer
Secretary to the Treasury, to consult with multinational businesses
on the UK’s tax competitiveness.
5. The Government is considering a wide range of options for the
scope and structure of the Green Investment Bank. The options will
be evaluated for effectiveness, fiscal afford-ability and
transparency.
6. the establishment of Infrastructure UK (IUK) to lead work within
HM Treasury to enable greater private sector investment in
infrastructure.
7. The Government will publish a consultation paper, in autumn
2010, on re-balancing the Northern Ireland economy.
8. The Government will review the taxation of non-domiciled
individuals.
9. The Independent Commission on banking.
10. The Government has also asked Frank Field to lead an
independent review on poverty.
11. The Government will review when the State Pension Age will rise
to 66.
12. The Government will consult shortly on how it will quickly
phase out the Default Retirement Age from April 2011.
13. The Government will review the stamp duty land tax relief for
first time buyers.
14. The Government will end the existing rules that create an
effective obligation to purchase an annuity by age 75 from April
2011 to enable individuals to make more flexible use of their
pension savings. The Government will shortly launch a consultation
on the detail of this change.
15. The Efficiency and Reform Group (ERG) has been set up within
the Cabinet Office.
16. The Government’s national engagement programme will give public
sector workers and members of the public an opportunity to feed in
their ideas for reducing spending.
17. The Government intends to consult with employers and payroll
providers on mechanisms that could support more frequent or real
time PAYE data.
18. The Government has asked the Consumer Financial Education Body
to develop an annual family financial health-check, which will be
delivered as part of the new national financial advice service.
19. The Government is committed to reforming the Controlled Foreign
Company (CFC) rules and will consult on interim improvements to the
current rules to be introduced in Finance Bill 2011.
20. The Government remains committed to a review of IR35 and small
business tax and will release further details shortly.
21. The Government will review the taxation and pricing of alcohol.
22. the Government will review the taxation of the National
Lottery.
23. The Government will also review the control and use of
accumulated and future revenues from the Fossil Fuel Levy in
Scotland.

I am also formally requesting details regarding the expected cost
of employing individuals to oversee the budgets of several
departments at once: i.e. the cost of creating a “super-director”
post that will co-ordinate the work of a group of businessmen
recruited to sit on departmental boards. With the cost of employing
a 'super-director' I would also like to see the cost of employing
businessmen to sit on departmental boards.

Finally I would like to see the estimated cost per annum of
maintaining the Office of Budget Responsibility.

I make these requests formally under the Freedom of Information Act
2000.

Yours faithfully,

Kathryn Rose