HC Deb 15 October 2002 vol 390 c617W
Matthew Taylor

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of outstanding trader liabilities were written off by Customs and Excise in the latest year for which data is available; and if he will make a statement. [74772]

John Healey

The latest available figure is £769.8 million, as published in Customs & Excise's annual Trust Statement for 2000–01. Figures for 2001–02 will be published in the 2001–02 Trust Statement later in the year.

Matthew Taylor

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the p519 latest estimate of outstanding trader debt as defined in Spending Review 2000 PSA target one for Customs and Excise; and if he will make a statement. [74775]

John Healey

Achievement of the Spending Review (SR) 2000 PSA Targets, Objective 1, was published in H M Customs & Excise Spring Report June 2002. The third quarter outturn for trader debt to 31 December 2001 was 1.88 per cent. against the target of 1.41 per cent.

The full year results for 2001–02 will be published later this year, in H M Customs & Excise Autumn Performance Report, along with the emerging outturn for 2002–03.