HC Deb 26 June 1995 vol 262 cc438-9W
Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the number of vehicles currently in use without valid vehicle excise duty being paid. [28722]

Mr. Norris

The estimated number of unlicensed vehicles in use at any one time in Great Britain in 1994–95 was 1.5 million.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the total number of vehicles in use on United Kingdom roads are without current vehicle excise duty road discs. [28723]

Mr. Norris

The estimated percentage of unlicensed vehicles in use on public roads in Great Britain in 1994–95 was 6.2 per cent.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what amount of vehicle excise duty is forgone as a result of vehicle excise duty evasion. [28724]

Mr. Norris

The estimated VED loss through evasion in Great Britain in 1994–95 was £163 million. This represents4.1 per cent. of the revenue due.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what resources are applied to combating vehicle excise duty evasion. [28725]

Mr. Norris

Vehicle excise duty evaders are detected by the police and traffic wardens as part of their normal duties. Follow-up enforcement action, including prosecution work, is the responsibility of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. The cost of agency staff directly involved in enforcement activities currently stands at some £26 million per year.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions for vehicle excise duty evasion were brought over the past five years for which figures are available. [28726]

Mr. Norris

The numbers of prosecutions for vehicle excise evasion are shown in the table.

Numbers of vehicle excise duty prosecutions in the five year period 1990–91 to 1994–95
Year Successful prosecutions Unsuccessful prosecutions Total prosecutions
1990–91 141,635 5,635 147,270
1991–92 177,336 5,633 182,969
1992–93 193,291 7,984 201,275
1993–94 207,521 8,441 215,962
1994–95 214,360 8,751 223,111

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he proposes to reduce the incidence of vehicle excise duty evasion; and if he will make a statement. [28727]

Mr. Norris

We are currently considering a wide range of proposals. These include measures to improve the quality of the vehicle register and to make it more difficult for motorists to drop out of the licensing system, as well as use of camera technology to automate the detection process.

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