§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many full-time equivalents staff were employed by(a) Inland Revenue and (b) HM Customs and Excise on tax evasion investigations in each year from 1990–91. [9984]
§ Mr. Jack[holding answer 13 January 1997]: Approximate figures as shown in the table.
Year Inland Revenue Customs and Excise 1990–91 3,200 560 1991–92 3,400 570 1992–93 3,500 590 1993–94 3,800 630 1994–95 4,400 730 1995–96 4,300 730 The basis on which the Inland Revenue figures were compiled changed from 1994–95 so as to include staff engaged on all employer compliance work.
§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of evasion of payments of taxes administered by HM Customs and Excise have been discovered in each year since 1990; and what has been the yield. [9985]
§ Mr. Oppenheim[holding answer 13 January 1997]: The following table shows the number of cases involving evasion of value added tax in each year since 1990. The figures represent the number of criminal cases reported to
204Wheadquarters for consideration of criminal proceedings, plus the number of cases in which civil evasion penalties were imposed, together with the estimated tax evaded.
Fiscal year Total number of criminal and civil cases Tax arrears £ million 1990–91 1,070 37.7 1991–92 1,178 34.2 1992–93 1,135 40.2 1993–94 1,048 55.6 1994–95 931 92.8 1995–96 989 51.0 In addition to the tax arrears, penalties in excess of £10 million were levied each year.
There have been no reported cases of evasion of insurance premium tax or the new landfill tax.