Customs and Excise (Rummage Work) (Hansard, 28 July 1983)

§ Mr. Wilson
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff of Customs and Excise were employed on rummage work at ports and airports in Scotland, England and Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively, in each of the last five years.

§ Mr. Hayhoe
The amount of rummage work undertaken at ports and airports in the United Kingdom varies considerably according to local circumstances and may be performed on either a whole or part-time basis by officers on preventive duties. Informal ion on the number of Customs and Excise staff engaged solely on rummage duties is not available. The totals employed on preventive duties in Great Britain at 1 April for each of the last five years are set out below, but I regret that a breakdown of the figures between Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Table 1: Gross domestic fixed capital formation

£ million

Central Government Local authorities Public corporations Public sector

1979 1,493 3,666 5,633 10,792

1980 1,682 3,849 6,782 12,313

1981 1,773 2,809 6,925 11,507

1982 2,101 1,823 7,368 11,292

Source: National accounts.

Table 2: Sales of assets

£ million

Central Government Local authorities

1979 195 626

1980 466 1,033

1981 791 1,420

1982 660 2,437

§ Mr. Gould
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table in the Official Report showing how much revenue has been raised in each year since 1970 by the sale of capital assets by (i) central Government, (ii) local government and (iii) other public authorities; what percentage in each case the total represents of the public sector borrowing requirement; whether since 1979 the additional revenue has been used to finance current expenditure; and what has been the effect on inflation.

§ Mr. Ridley
Sales of capital assets by central Government and local authorities and as a proportion of the public sector borrowing requirement are as follows. Sales of assets by public corporations are not collated centrally. The receipts from sales are paid into general funds, for example, Consolidated Fund, housing revenue account and it is not possible to hypothecate them to any
532W

Number

1979 3,445

1980 3,214

1981 3,027

1982 2,890

^*1983 2,798

^*Estimated.

Table 1: Gross domestic fixed capital formation
£ million
	Central Government	Local authorities	Public corporations	Public sector
1979	1,493	3,666	5,633	10,792
1980	1,682	3,849	6,782	12,313
1981	1,773	2,809	6,925	11,507
1982	2,101	1,823	7,368	11,292

Table 2: Sales of assets
£ million
	Central Government	Local authorities
1979	195	626
1980	466	1,033
1981	791	1,420
1982	660	2,437

	Number
1979	3,445
1980	3,214
1981	3,027
1982	2,890
^*1983	2,798
^*Estimated.