HC Deb 04 March 2002 vol 381 c113W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will state the reasons for the size of the variation between HM Customs and Excise's upper and lower estimates of revenue lost from frauds on petrol and diesel, as reported in paragraph 7 of the National Audit Office report, HC614; [38633]

(2) what his estimate is in respect of Northern Ireland of the revenue loss from (a) frauds on petrol and diesel and (b) legitimate cross-border shopping for petrol and diesel in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99, (iii) 1999–2000, (iv) 2000–01 and (v) 2001–02; [38554]

(3) what his estimate is of the revenue loss from frauds on petrol and diesel in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02; [38632]

(4) what his estimate is of the revenue lost from frauds on diesel in Great Britain in (a) 2000–01, and (b) 200102; [38631]

(5) if he will place in the Library a description of the methodology used by HM Customs and Excise to calculate the revenue lost from frauds on petrol and diesel. [38535]

Mr. Boateng

The methodology used by HM Customs and Excise to estimate the revenue lost from frauds on petrol and diesel, and details of those estimates currently available, can be found in "Measuring Indirect Tax Fraud", a paper published alongside the pre-Budget report, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.