§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that excise verification officers, in carrying out spot checks on licensed premises to prevent fraudulent sales of excisable goods, do not impose an undue burden on the operation of legitimate businesses; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir John CopeExcise verification officers are specially trained to counter the new revenue risks following completion of the single market. They will operate unobtrusively and will impose no undue burdens on legitimate businesses. Their controls will be largely intelligence-based and targeted at points of greatest risk, using information derived in many cases from trade sources. Legitimate traders will welcome this additional protection against dishonest competitors who have evaded United Kingdom duties on the goods they sell.