42. Sorensenasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of revenue derived from Customs duties on articles declared and undeclared, respectively, by passengers into this country during the last available year; to what extent evasion of payment has risen or fallen; whether he is satisfied that large-scale smuggling has declined in recent years; and the general policy pursued by Customs officers in respect of small objects of small intrinsic value brought to this country by passengers from other countries.
§ Mr. H. MacmillanThe Customs duties collected on articles declared by passengers and crews arriving in this country during the year ended 31st March, 1956, amounted to about £830,000. Separate figures are not available for undeclared articles seized from passengers.
Although in the nature of things the extent cannot be determined, there are indications that preventive action has contributed to a reduction of large-scale commercial smuggling in recent years.
Customs officers have discretion to pass duty-free small souvenirs and other articles of little value imported by passengers.
§ Mr. SorensenIn view of the last part of his Answer, can the right hon. Gentleman indicate whether some kind of criterion exists in determining what should be the approximate value of those commodities, in order to avoid in future any embarrassment on the part of passengers who bring such objects into this country?
§ Mr. MacmillanI think that that would be difficult to do. I think it is the experience of hon. Members that on the whole the Customs officers carry out their duties with great courtesy and great success.