§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the proposed closure of the customs office in Dartmouth, south Devon; and what steps are being taken in response to the increase in drug trafficking in the south-west.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe completion of the single market on 1 January 1993 will mean that fiscal and customs formalities at internal EC frontiers will be removed permitting the freest movement of legitimate traffic and passengers. However anti-smuggling checks will remain and these will be focused on major dangers to society such as drugs, instruments of terrorism and child pornography.
The effects of the single market on staffing in the Customs and Excise department are particularly significant in ports and airports that deal predominantly with traffic arriving from other EC countries, which is the case in Dartmouth. Consequently the department has had to examine carefully both the numbers and location of staff in such areas.
In determining future customs anti-smuggling resources, the aim has been to provide a service which is better equipped and targeted at areas of highest risk. A further consideration is the more flexible approach being adopted in the way the controls are organised; this moves away from the static controls previously used.
This approach has been adopted nationally as a result of the review of anti-smuggling controls completed by the department in 1989. The changes in no way reduce the effectiveness of controls against drug trafficking. Customs is also taking steps to ensure provision of more timely and adequate intelligence.
A flexible anti-smuggling team is based in Plymouth which covers the south Devon area and additionally it is proposed to retain a Customs presence at both Brixham and Salcombe.