§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people arriving in the Channel ports in each of the last four years were found to have(a) alcohol and (b) tobacco in excess of EC-defined minimum guide levels; what proportion were unable to satisfy Customs that those goods were for their own use; and if he will make a statement; [23257]
(2) how many people were stopped by HM Customs at the Channel ports in each of the past four years. [23256]
§ Mr. Boateng[holding answer 17 December 2001]: While Customs do maintain and publish records on the number of people they have searched and on the numbers of seizures they have made, there are no records either of the total numbers of people spoken to by Customs officers or of the qualities of goods they were carrying.
Customs use the indicative levels set out in EC legislation as a guide to help distinguish between goods being imported for individuals' own use and goods which may be being imported for a commercial purpose. Customs then consider a range of other factors in order to determine whether goods are actually being brought into the UK for a commercial purpose.
It is estimated that—in the majority of cases—those individuals with goods in excess of the indicative levels who were stopped and asked questions by Customs when entering the Channel ports in 2000–01 were able to demonstrate that the goods they are carrying were for their own use and were allowed to travel on freely.
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has set a specific target for the rate of checks to be carried out by HM Customs and Excise on spirits consignments entering this country under duty suspension, pursuant to paragraph 4.23 of 'Tackling Indirect Tax Fraud'. [23273]
§ Mr. Boateng[holding answer 17 December 2001]: No specific targets have been set.