§ Mr. Leeasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures have been taken to ensure the enforcement of Common Market agricultural levies on non-Common Market agricultural imports; how many prosecutions have taken place to date against persons or companies acting in breach of such levies; what is the cost so far of law enforcement since the levy system was first implemented; and how much has been secured for the Exchequer by means of fines imposed for the breaches.
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§ Mr. Robert SheldonEuropean Economic Community levies charged on agricultural products imported from outside the Community are collected as though they were customs duties. The legal provisions including enforcement are those applied to customs duties generally; prosecutions, fines and costs of enforcement are not isolated from those relating to customs duties.
§ Mr. Leeasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are currently employed in the United Kingdom on the collection of Common Market import levies; what is the estimated total annual cost to the Exchequer of collection, inclusive of Civil Service salaries; and what is the estimated annual value of levy revenue to be remitted to the Common Market.
§ Mr. Robert SheldonStaff numbers and annual cost arising from the collection of EEC import levies cannot be isolated from those relating to the administration of customs control as a whole.
United Kingdom contributions to the Community budget are governed by the transitional arrangement laid down in the Treaty of Accession; revenue from levies does not therefore affect the level of our contributions.