Tobacco Smuggling (Hansard, 7 December 1999)

§ Mr. Crausby
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to tackle tobacco smuggling. [101320]

§ Dawn Primarolo
The Government will continue to adopt a tough and rigorous approach to detecting, deterring and preventing tobacco smuggling and fraud. In his Pre-Budget Report the Chancellor announced a package of new measures to strengthen Customs' ability to tackle tobacco smuggling and fraud including x-ray scanners and compulsory marking of UK duty paid cigarettes and tobacco, and new offences and penalties for those caught handling or selling unmarked tobacco products.

§ Mr. Crausby
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to encourage other EU member states to increase tobacco taxation in order to reduce incentives for bootlegging. [101319]

§ Dawn Primarolo
The European Commission is due to review tobacco taxation in the coming year and to report the outcome to ECOFIN.
The Government will continue to take every opportunity, in ECOFIN and elsewhere, to seek to influence the Commission and other member states to introduce a duty structure which would reduce the incentive for both legal cross-border shopping and smuggling.