§ Mr. FallonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of revenue lost to HM Treasury from the illegal sale of tobacco products in the most recent period for which figures are available. [26539]
§ Dawn PrimaroloHM Customs and Excise estimate that the revenue (excise duty and VAT) lost to the Exchequer through cross-Channel smuggling of tobacco products in 1997 was about £690 million. There are no official estimates for the revenue lost on tobacco products involved in commercial fraud, smuggling in freight consignments or by air passengers.