§ Mr. BarnesTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many recorded instances of cross-border smuggling of(a) petrol, (b) alcohol, (c) smoking materials, (d) animals and (e) videos there have been in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [48360]
§ Dawn Primarolo[holding answer 6 July 1998]: The table shows the number of detections by Customs and Excise of goods smuggled from the Irish Republic into Northern Ireland:
Instances of cross-border smuggling 1995–1998 (to date) 1995 1996 1997 1998 Hydrocarbon oils1 6 3 3 32 Alcohol2 19 29 21 10 Tobacco2 24 48 67 7 Alcohol2,3 and Tobacco2,3 19 31 13 19 Videos 0 0 0 0 Animals 0 0 0 0 1Figures include all hydrocarbon oils detections, not only petrol 2All detected at premises in Northern Ireland. Information is not available as to whether the smuggling route used was via mainland UK or the Republic of Ireland, however intelligence suggests that both routes are used 3Instances where both alcohol and tobacco goods were the subject of the smuggling attempt I regret that no figures are available for years before 1995.