Customs and Excise

HC Deb 19 June 1995 vol 262 cc7-8W

Mr. Matthew Banks

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Customs and Excise has responded to the open government initiative. [29943]

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

Notice 950, entitled "Open Government: Access to information held by Customs and Excise", has just been published. The notice sets out what Customs and Excise is doing about the open government code of practice, and explains the kinds of information available and how to obtain it. It also sets out Customs's charging policy and the procedures for complaining to the Department, the independent adjudicator and the Parliamentary Ombudsman should the applicant be dissatisfied with the way Customs has handled their request for information. The notice includes an application form for requesting information from Customs and is available, on request, from all Customs and Excise inquiry offices.