HC Deb 10 July 1978 vol 953 cc389-90W
Mr. Maurice Macmillan

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the Financial Secretary's answer to the right hon. Member for Farnham on 26th June, what is the estimated revenue for each of the last five years, to the latest convenient date, to Her Majesty's Custom and Excise Department of its sales of goods and tobacco previously confiscated by it.

Mr. Robert Sheldon

The proceeds, inclusive of duty and tax, received by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise from sales of confiscated goods during each of the last five financial years were as follows:

Year ending 31st March 1974 £462,027
Year ending 31st March 1975 £855,020
Year ending 31st March 1976 £1,157,647
Year ending 31st March 1977 £1,032,146
Year ending 31st March 1978 £1,661,493
(provisional)

Central records do not separately show the proceeds realised on the different categories of goods sold and those in respect of tobacco cannot therefore be stated, but they normally represent only a very small proportion of the total proceeds for any one year.