§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the financial and manpower savings in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise as a result of the implementation of the Customs 88 project.
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§ Mr. LilleyThe Customs 88 changes were introduced throughout the European Community on 1 January 1988 with the aim of simplifying and facilitating European trade. They were not designed to achieve financial and manpower savings in customs administration and did not have that effect.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's commitment to trade facilitation as an objective of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise service.
§ Mr. LilleyThe Government are fully committed to trade facilitation as an objective of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and are satisfied that it is given due weight in the management of the Department's activities.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion as a percentage of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise financial and manpower resources is devoted to the fast clearance of international traffic, to preventive checks and to collection of dues and duties.
§ Mr. LilleyThe latest completed figures are for the year ended 31 March 1987 as published in the last report of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise. The figures are:
Percentage cost of administration Percentage of manpower Customs duties including freight clearance and revenue collection work 16 14 CAP work 1½ 1½ Preventive work 18 14 It is not expected that the figures for 1987–88 or for the current year 1988–89 will show significant variations from this, although the proportion of preventive work will reflect the increased manpower introduced last year and planned for this year. Fast clearance is not identified separately within the allocations set out in the table.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement as to the working priorities of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, indicating the role of trade facilitation as part of its ongoing activities.
§ Mr. LilleyThe working priorities of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise are clearly set out in the board's management plan for 1988–89, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Trade facilitation is a major consideration in determining the Department's activities, so long as it is consistent with the maintenance of effective customs controls and the necessary protection of revenues.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has made to use the resources saved in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise by ports and airports linking into the DTI system to help to speed up the clearance of goods through a port.
§ Mr. LilleyResource savings stemming from the introduction of direct trader input (DTI) facilities have been utilised to improve the effectiveness of existing controls and to accommodate increases in the volume of international trade.
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§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of savings in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise budget as a result of major international ports and airports linking into DTI systems.
§ Mr. LilleyIn 1988–89, running costs savings in Customs and Excise arising from utilisation of direct trader input systems are estimated to be £5 million.