§ Mr. GaleTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he intends to take to increase the volume of information provided by Customs and Excise marketing agents relating to imported manufactured goods; and how he intends to make the information available to British manufacturers.
§ Mr. Lilley[holding answer 10 July 1989]: Customs and Excise is now making available to its approved marketing agents, in addition to traditional United Kingdom trade statistical data, the names and addresses of consignees shown on import declarations, listed against the commodities they import. This new facility has been available since 22 May 1989. The information covers importations from 1 January 1989 and is updated monthly. Commodities are distinguished by an appropriate commodity code; these are published in the Customs and Excise tariff. In most cases information is made available at the more detailed nine-digit level, but in 663W some instances it is provided at a less detailed level where to provide at nine-digit level would lead to disclosure of confidential quantity and value data. Information covers the whole range of imported, including manufactured, goods.
The marketing agents will supply the information in a form and manner which is convenient to their customers, and at an attractive price. British manufacturers who wish to obtain this data should therefore contact a marketing agent. This new service was announced by Customs and Excise in a press notice dated 1 June 1989 in which the names and addresses of the approved agents are listed.