§ Brian CotterTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Government have formally responded to the formal request for information received from the European Commission relating to excise duties on tobacco and alcohol; and if he will place a copy of this response in the Library. [39809]
201W
§ Mr. BoatengThe Government replied to the formal request for information from the European Commission relating to excise duties on tobacco and alcohol on 18 December 2001.
Due to the confidentiality of the response it is not possible to place a copy of the Government response in the Library. Documents relating to infraction proceedings, of which the letter of formal notice is the first stage, remain confidential unless and until the proceedings reach the European Court of Justice. This is covered by the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Part II, Section 1 (c)) which exempts from disclosure
information received in confidence from foreign Governments, foreign courts or international organisations".