§ Mr. CotterTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he(a) has commissioned, (b) has evaluated and (c) plans to commission on the numbers of under 16s who, since the European border restrictions were removed in 1993, have purchased cigarettes bought on the continent and illegally resold in the United Kingdom which do not display English language health warnings. [34699]
§ Dawn PrimaroloNo research has been commissioned and there are no plans to do so.
§ Mr. CotterTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when representatives from the Police, HM Customs & Excise and the National Weights and Measures Laboratory and Ministers from his Department last met to discuss the issue of tobacco imported from Belgium and illegally resold in the United Kingdom. [34701]
§ Dawn PrimaroloThere have been no such meetings.
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§ Mr. CotterTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will press for upward harmonisation of tobacco taxes at the next meeting of EU member states' finance ministers. [34700]
§ Dawn PrimaroloIt is Treasury Ministers' current intention to discuss the minimum rate of excise duty for tobacco products in ECOFIN following production of the European Commission's report on their review. Government policy in this area is to allow Member States a continuation of fiscal sovereignty, but underpinned by a regime of sensible and realistic minimum rates. In the case of tobacco we advocate a cash floor to the duty on cigarettes and higher minimum rates for the other tobacco products.