HC Deb 06 May 1998 vol 311 c381W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will raise the issue of the proposed abolition of duty free sales at the meeting of Ecofin on 19 May. [39887]

Dawn Primarolo

There are no plans at present to raise this issue at the 19 May Ecofin. However, in the light of the comments made in the Transport Council on 17 March, consideration is currently being given to how best to progress the issue bearing in mind the heavy anticipated agendas of future Ecofin meetings and the fact that this matter was discussed over lunch in Ecofin as recently as 9 March where there was no enthusiasm for reopening the issue.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the European Parliament's resolution on the abolition of duty free sales. [39886]

Dawn Primarolo

I have noted the European Parliament's resolution on the abolition of intra-EU duty free sales.