Supplementary memorandum submitted by
HM Customs and Excise
ASSURANCE OF AGGREGATES LEVY IN NORTHERN
IRELAND
Customs and Excise submitted a memorandum to
the Committee on 12 September about the assurance of the aggregates
levy in Northern Ireland. The Committee asked a number of follow
up questions which were addressed in a supplementary memorandum
submitted on 28 October. The Committee subsequently asked for
further information, as follows:
— details of the membership and background
of the Symonds Group;
— their full terms of reference;
— some background on the reasons behind
this particular choice; and
— an indication of when the research
will be available.
MEMBERSHIP/BACKGROUND
OF THE
SYMONDS GROUP
The Symonds Group Limited is an industry leader
in providing consultancy, management and design services. They
are an independently owned and operated company with an annual
fee turnover in excess of £40 million. It has over 850 employees
working directly for the company.
Further information is available from Symonds
website:
www.symonds-group.com
TERMS OF
REFERENCE
The Government announced in Budget 2003 that
it was continuing to review the impact of the phasing-in of the
levy in Northern Ireland (paragraph 7.58 of the Budget report).
The Economic Secretary asked Customs to commission some specific
research which, in view of their experience, the Symonds Group
were selected to undertake. Agreement between Customs and Symonds
on the scope and nature of the Symonds study was reached in May.
It was agreed that the study would focus on:
— total demand for aggregates in Northern
Ireland, for example, how it is broken down by "use",
how it is met by primary, secondary and recycled aggregates; and
— the potential for using non-traditional
(secondary and recycled) materials as substitutes for primary
quarried aggregate in Northern Ireland.
It was agreed that the study would distinguish
between potential uses in manufactured products (eg concrete,
coated roadstone and surface dressing) and "lower grade"
uses (eg as fill material and in unbound applications).
REASONS FOR
CHOOSING SYMONDS
GROUP
Symonds Group are specialist consultants in
the quarrying and construction sectors. Customs received very
favourable recommendations on their work from the Waste and Resources
Action Programme (Aggregates) and the Office of the Deputy Prime
Minister, who have engaged them for similar work on a number of
occasions. Examples of their recent work are set out in the Annex
to this memorandum.
AVAILABILITY OF
RESEARCH
It was agreed that Symonds Group would work
closely, as they have done, with the industry in Northern Ireland
in conducting their research. The Symonds Group's report is currently
being finalised. It will be sent to the Committee when completed.
30 October 2003
Annex
EXAMPLES OF SYMONDS' RECENT WORK
In reverse chronological order:
— The Impact of Planning Controls on
the Use of Secondary and Recycled Aggregates
(DTI/WRAP) (2002-03)
— Quinquennial Review of the Minerals,
Land Instability and Waste Planning Research Programme, 1994-95
to 1998-99
(DETR) (1999)
— Reducing The Effects of Surface Mineral
Workings on the Water Environment
(DETR) (1996-98)
— Environmental Geology in Land Use
Planning
(DETR) (1996-98)
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