Thank you for the Government's response of 15 October to our Select Committee report The Taxation of Fuel in the EU, which Sub-Committee A considered at its meeting on 4 November and which the Select Committee will consider at its meeting on 18 November.

  The Sub-Committee was pleased to note that the Government endorses all of the Committee's recommendations. The Sub-Committee also welcomes the Government's commitment to respond to future proposals on tax reform on the basis of the specific merits and de-merits of each proposal.

  The report was published on 21 May 2003, and, as you will be aware, the Government has undertaken to reply in writing to reports of the EU Select Committee within two months if possible. The Sub-Committee was therefore disappointed that, on this occasion, the Government took nearly five months to respond to our report and surprised that no reason was offered for the delay. I trust that you will ensure that all future responses to our reports from your department are sent within the two-month period.

5 November 2003

  Many thanks for your letter of 5 November, and I am grateful that the Sub-Committee welcomes the Government's endorsement of the Committee's recommendations in its report on The Taxation of Fuel in the EU.

  I note what you say about the delay in the Government's response, and I entirely accept that this was less than ideal. I can certainly assure you that the Treasury is committed to responding to Select Committee reports in accordance with the usual conventions and, wherever possible, to the recognised timetable. I am sorry that administrative difficulties meant that we failed to meet this timetable in this case.

12 November 2003