§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been employed on tax evasion and fraud work by the Inland Revenue in each year since 1975; what was the average amount consequently recovered per person employed in each year; and what was the total cost of this work for the years in question.
§ Mr. Ridley[pursuant to his reply, 1 April 1982, c. 163]: The detection of tax evasion forms part of the normal duties of the majority of the staff and most of the tax recovered, including interest and penalties, arises from investigation carried out in local offices. the following table relates only to the specialised investigation units and sets out: a. the numbers of staff employed in those units as at 31 October each year. The present total is approximately 340; b. the approximate average yield per person employed in those units for the years ending 31 October.
Year ended 31 October a. b. £000's 1976 251 41 1977 268 88 1978 269 88 1979 279 109 1980 297 141 1981 321 173 The approximate total cost of those units for the year ended 31 October 1981 was £6.4 million. Information on total costs for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.