Wine and Spirits

HC Deb 04 April 2003 vol 402 cc888-9W

Mr. Liddell-Grainger

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how the total revenue from duty on(a) wines and (b) spirits is calculated in any one year; [105515]

(2) what the total value of wine brought across borders to the UK in 2002 is; [105499]

(3) how much wine and spirits were smuggled into the UK last year. [105494]

John Healey

The total revenue from the duty on wines and spirits for any one year is calculated from the net duty receipts recorded by HM Customs and Excise Central Accounting Operations. Details of the amount of revenue received on wines and spirits are published in Customs' annual report, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

The declared value of wine imports in 2002 was £2.01 billion, excluding duty and VAT.

Figures for the total volume of wine and spirits smuggled in 2002 are not available. Estimates of the value of alcohol products smuggled by cross-Channel passengers in 2002 and estimates of the total of fraud affecting alcohol products in 2000–01 were published in "Measuring Indirect Tax Losses" in November 2002, a copy of which is also available in the Library of the House.