HC Deb 04 April 1989 vol 150 c6W
Mr. Rathbone

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that the new safeguards of confidentiality for taxpayers, to be included in the Finance Bill, in no way interfere with the Government's efforts to trace and seize the illegally gained assets of drug traffickers.

Mr. Lilley

Safeguarding the confidentiality of taxpayer information will not interfere with efforts to trace and seize illegally gained assets of drug traffickers. Provision in the Finance Bill 1989 will be confined to unauthorised disclosure of information held in the exercise of tax functions and relevant to tax or duty and, as drafted, does not include such matters as illegal trafficking in dangerous drugs which are not subject to tax or duty.