§ Dr. StarkeyTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2000,Official Report, columns 266–67W, on how many occasions in the past five years Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has referred to the European Commission instances of goods alleged to have been imported under preference as Made in Israel which were produced in Occupied Territories or elsewhere; on how many occasions in the past five years the European Commission had established the origin of the products in question; in how many of these cases the origin was established as (i) within the internationally recognised borders of Israel, (ii) within the Occupied Territories of the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem or the Golan Heights and (iii) elsewhere; and what was the average time taken by the European Commission to establish the origin of goods referred by the UK Government to the Commission for possible violation of the Protocol on Rules of Origin of the EC Trade Agreement with Israel in the last five years. [113551]
§ Dawn PrimaroloHer Majesty's Customs and Excise has advised the European Commission in relation to four separate products. They have yet to be made aware of the outcome of any investigations conducted by the European Commission.
§ Dr. StarkeyTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2000,Official Report, columns 266–67W, concerning Israel (a) whether he has examined imported goods still held by the consignee to obtain actual evidence of origin, (b) when the imports of wines from (i) the Golan Heights and (ii) the Israeli West Bank settlement of Barkan, were first detected, (c) when details were first passed to the European Commission and (d) whether the Syrian Government have been informed of the detection of imports from Israeli settlements on the Golan Heights. [113417]
§ Dawn Primarolo(a) Customs will shortly be visiting a consignee identified as being an importer of dates from Israel. The outcome will be notified to the European Commission.
(b) Information was received on both products in May 1999.
(c) In June 1999.
(d) The Syrian Government have not been informed by HM Customs and Excise.
§ Dr. StarkeyTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2000,Official Report, columns 266–67W, (a) when the imports of carpets from the Israeli West Bank settlement of Barkan were first detected, (b) when details were first passed to the European Commission, (c) how many consignments of carpets from the area Barkan have been imported into the UK under preferences, (d) what type of goods were 769W described in the details obtained by the European Commission and (e) when he expects the European Commission to make its assessment. [113550]
§ Dawn Primarolo(a) November 1999, as a direct result of information received from the European Commission.
(b) December 1999.
(c) 1998–12; 1999—None.
(d) The goods described covered a range of agricultural and industrial products.
(e) There is no indication as to when the European Commission is expected to make an assessment.