HC Deb 09 July 1984 vol 63 cc422-3W
Mr. Wilson

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the success of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in seizing contraband and drugs in Dundee in each year since 1979.

Mr. Hayhoe

The information is as follows:

Mr. Hayhoe

The numbers of permanent staff in post in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in the Dundee area at 31 December 1982, 31 December 1983 and 1 July 1984 were as follows:

and at 1 April 1984 it was 25,309. The number of staff engaged exclusively on customs work at ports, airports and inland premises at 1 April 1979 was 7,591. A provisional estimate for 1 April 1984 is 6,535.

The reduction in the numbers of staff on customs work has been met by the deployment of resources on a more flexible basis and improvements in the efficiency of controls.