HC Deb 05 November 2001 vol 374 cc68-70W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the target of HM Customs and Excise is for detecting notifiable export irregularities. [11166]

Mr. Boateng

Targets for the number of notifiable export irregularities detected are not set.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made since 11 September of the priority given by HM Customs and Excise to detecting notifiable import and export irregularities. [11165]

Mr. Boateng

Customs continue to deploy resources on the basis of intelligence and assessment of risk. Many of the potential risks which can result in notifiable import and export irregularities are unaffected by the 11 September events. Where intelligence or risk assessment indicates an increased risk a higher priority is afforded.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many and in what percentage of searches of premises by HM Customs and Excise were(a) smuggled goods and (b) other evidence relating to an offence discovered in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) 2001–02 to date. [11167]

Mr. Boateng

This information is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many searches of premises were conducted by HM Customs and Excise(a) by consent, (b) by warrant and (c) by writ of assistance in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) 2001–02 to date. [11168]

Mr. Boateng

Figures for 2000–01 and 2001–02 are not yet available. For the y ear 1999–2000 there were 298 searches of premises conducted by consent, 265 conducted by warrant and 183 by writ of assistance in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases were taken to court for Common Agricultural Policy export refund offences and irregularities levied by the Intervention Board as a result of Customs detections; what was the total overclaim value of those cases; and what was the total sum of penalties awarded in(a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02 to date. [11173]

Mr. Boateng

There were no cases taken to court by HM Customs and Excise for Common Agricultural Policy export refund offences in 1999–2000, 2000–01 and no cases to date for 2001–02.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people were detained after arrest by HM Customs and Excise in(a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02 to date; and how many such people were subsequently (i) charged, (ii) released on payment of a compound settlement and (iii) released for other reasons; [11170]

(2) how many people were kept in Customs detention for more than 24 hours in (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02 to date; and how many people in each year were subsequently released without charge. [11171]

Mr. Boateng

Figures for 2000–01 and 2001–02 are not yet available.

1999–2000
England and Wales Northern Ireland
Number of persons:
Detained after arrest 3,595 89
Detained for more than 24 hours and subsequently released without charge 25 0
Number of persons for whom warrants for further detention were:
Applied for 27 0
Granted1 26 0
1 in this instance, the number of persons:
Charged 46 0
Released on payment of a settlement 5 0
Number of persons:
Charged 1,563 18
Released on payment of a settlement 310 1
Released for other reasons 0 0

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions were brought by HM Customs and Excise in(a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02 to date in cases where the offence is registrable under the Sex Offenders Act 1997. [11169]

Mr. Boateng

As part of the multi-agency approach to combating paedophile activity both Customs and Excise and the police bring prosecutions following the investigation of detections of material by Customs.

1999–2000 2000–01
Total number of prosecutions 33 29
Police 14 14
HM Customs 19 15

The figures for 2001–02 are incomplete.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many searches of persons carried out by Customs and Excise officers related to(a) drugs, (b) revenue goods and (c) other prohibited or restricted goods in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) 2001–02 to date; and what percentages of the number of searches conducted this represented in each case. [11197]

Mr. Boateng

This information is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.