Impact Assessment
25. The Department estimates that the Order will
result in savings of £615,000 per annum. Details are provided
in Annex C of the Explanatory Document.
26. Local authorities estimate that they will
lose £525,000 per annum from the loss of fees which they
currently charge for verification services.[16]
The Department points out that those fees are merely intended
to cover the cost of providing the service. In addition, as a
result of the changes which were introduced by the 1999 Order,
local authorities receive annual funding to compensate for the
loss of verification fee income and the burden of increased inspections
needed to check work carried out by approved verifiers. This figure
was originally calculated to include changes resulting from self-verification
after adjustment.[17]
Despite the later interpretation of section 11A, whereby self-verification
after adjustment is not permitted, the method of calculation has
not changed.
27. The estimated costs savings in the Impact
Assessment will therefore benefit petrol retailers significantly,
with approved verifiers also expected to receive some benefit.
16 ED p44, Annex C para 5.2. See also the responses
detailed in ED p 25 Annex B para 42 Back
17
ED p26, Annex B para 45 Back
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