HC Deb 25 March 2002 vol 382 c745W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a disaggregated analysis of how Her Majesty's Customs and Excise plans to spend its supplementary estimate for the purposes listed on page 54 of HC 636. [44084]

Mr. Boateng

[holding answer 20 March 2002]: The purpose of the HM Customs and Excise spring supplementary is set out on page 1 of Cm 5380. The additional net cash requirement is required to pay for the provision of serviced accommodation under an estates PFI contract. These charges replace non-cash charges for the opportunity cost of utilising civil estate freehold assets. There is no increase to departmental expenditure limits as a result of the supplementary. The estates costs will cover all activities and purposes listed in HC636.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons the annual report of HM Customs and Excise for 2000–01 has not yet been published. [45745]

Mr. Boateng

Publication has been delayed because finalisation of the Trust Statement for Customs and Excise, which must be included in the report, took longer than expected. The Trust Statement now has an audit certificate, and the annual report for Customs and Excise has been laid before Parliament today.