§ Mr. Nigel EvansTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many excise verification officers are employed by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise on tasks connected with duty-paid imports to the United Kingdom from elsewhere in the European Union; and what is the cost to public funds.
§ Sir John Cope[holding answer 29 April 1994]: During the financial year 1993–94 Her Majesty's Customs and Excise allocated 253 staff years to single market duties. The majority of this work, for which the salaries bill was £4 million, was performed by excise verification officers. In addition, VAT staff and others assist in the course of their normal work in the control of the sale of excise goods which have not paid United Kingdom duty.