§ Mr. Leeasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total number of civil servants engaged in the collection of EEC levies upon foodstuffs imported into the United Kingdom; what is the total annual salary bill for these civil servants; and whether the Commission is to assume all or part of the responsibility for payment of these salaries from 1st January 1978 when the levies are to be paid to EEC funds.
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§ Mr. Robert SheldonStaff numbers and annual cost arising from the collection of EEC levies upon foodstuffs imported into the United Kingdom cannot be isolated from those relating to the administration of customs control as a whole. The Commission will not be assuming direct responsibility for payment of the salaries of any of this staff from 1st January 1978, but under the Community system 10 per cent. of the amount established by each member State as EEC customs duties and import levies is to be returned to it to defray cost of collection.