§ Mr. William PowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many reports of vehicle excise tax evasion were processed during 1989; and how many summonses for non-payment were issued.
§ Mr. AtkinsDuring 1989, 875,639 vehicle excise duty evasion reports were actioned by the Department. Summonses were issued against 192,813 evaders. In addition, 184,131 out-of-court settlements were paid by evaders.
§ Mr. William PowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants are currently employed to detect vehicle excise duty offenders.
§ Mr. AtkinsOutside London, vehicle excise duty enforcement is conducted from the Department's network of vehicle registration offices, where staff also deal with vehicle licensing and registration. A total of 984 man-years826W was allocated to enforcement in 1989–90, taking those offices, the London enforcement office, and staff at DVLC together.
§ Mr. William PowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport in which geographical areas publicity campaigns were mounted to encourage vehicle owners to tax their vehicles during 1989; and at what cost to public funds.
§ Mr. AtkinsDuring 1989 vehicle excise duty enforcement campaigns were held in the following geographical areas:
- Devon and Cornwall
- Kent
- Leicestershire
- London
- Sussex
- Central Scotland
- Humberside
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- West Mercia
- Hertfordshire
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Dorset
- Derbyshire
- Nottinghamshire
- Surrey
- Fife
- Essex
- West Yorkshire
- Northern (Highlands)
- West Midlands
- Bedfordshire
- Thames Valley
The publicity costs of the 1989 campaign programme were £776,180. In addition the Department's staff costs, including the prosecution of evaders caught during campaigns, totalled £170,000. Police costs are not available.
§ Mr. William PowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the average cost to public funds of prosecuting non-payment of vehicle excise duty in 1989; and how much was recovered by orders of courts to prosecution costs.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe estimated average cost to public funds of prosecuting a vehicle excise duty evader in 1989 was £21.78. The amount ordered by courts in finds, back duty orders and costs amounted to £17.5 million.