Vineyards Regulatory Regime

HC Deb 25 February 1994 vol 238 cc497-8W

Mrs. Lait

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people, full-time or whole-time equivalents, are employed by Customs and Excise on the regulatory regime for English vineyards.

Sir John Cope

Customs estimates that it deploys the equivalent of between one and two staff years on the regulatory regime for English vineyards.

Mrs. Lait

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost per bottle to Customs and Excise and to vineyard owners of English vineyards wine of the Customs and Excise regulatory regime.

Sir John Cope

It is estimated that it costs customs less than one penny per bottle of English wine. I regret that figures are not available for the costs incurred by the vineyard owners.

Mrs. Lait

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual cost to the Exchequer of the regulatory regime operated by Customs and Excise in respect of wine made in English vineyards.

Sir John Cope

It is estimated that the annual cost to the Exchequer of the regulatory regime operated by Customs and Excise is less than £40,000.

Mrs. Lait

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the result of the cost compliance assessment carried out by Customs and Excise of their regulatory regime on English vineyards in respect of(a) Customs. and Excise and (b) the vineyards either per vineyard or in total.

Sir John Cope

The regulatory regime operated by customs had already been introduced before cost compliance assessments were carried out. No cost compliance assessment has been undertaken on the regulatory regime for English vineyards since its introduction.