§ Mr. SimsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of cigarettes sold to consumers in the United Kingdom during the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available; what estimate is available to him of what that figure would have been had tobacco duty been increased in each of the 1987 and 1988 Budgets by 10p more than the amount needed to adjust for the effects of inflation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Lilley[holding answer 13 January 1989]: No direct estimate is available of the number of cigarettes sold to consumers. Information is, however, available on the quantity of cigarettes cleared from bond duty paid. During the 12 month period to October 1988 a total of 96,635.3 million cigarettes were cleared. It is estimated that had tobacco duty been increased in each of the 1987 and 1988 Budgets by 10p more than the amount needed to adjust for the effects of inflation the total above might have been around 6 per cent. lower.