Supplementary memorandum submitted by
the British Aggregates Association
The British Aggregates Association was rather
surprised to see the comments that the Financial Secretary to
the Treasury made to the Committee concerning the failure of the
industry to raise the problem of Northern Ireland. Indeed, the
Minister said "the industry and its representatives did not
actually raise the issue until fairly late in the day" (paragraph
230).
The British Aggregates Association was formed
in April 2000. As early as 7 April 2000, the BAA wrote to Nick
Raynsford MP, then Minister for Construction, outlining four concerns
about the aggregates levy, one of which was the issue of Northern
Ireland. Following a meeting with officials from the Treasury
and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
(as it then was) in June 2000, we also wrote to John Hall, Andrew
Field's predecessor at the Treasury, on 30 June 2000, to detail
the problems in Northern Ireland. This was in response to a specific
request to provide further information, and we understood that
the Treasury would then take forward a detailed analysis of the
issue. We are disappointed by the implication of the Financial
Secretary that it was only in January of this year, when the CBI
raised the issue, that it began to be taken seriously.
I am enclosing copies of the two letters and
trust that you will bring this matter to the attention of the
Committee.
27 November 2001
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