Customs and Excise

HC Deb 05 November 1998 vol 318 cc689-90W

Mr. Baker

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the

Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Kerry Pollard, dated 5 November 1998: As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary question on maternities in 1997. The information requested is shown in the table below.

staffing levels of HM Customs and Excise offices along the South Coast. [56867]

Dawn Primarolo

The deployment of Customs' anti-smuggling staff around the UK is determined by the assessed risk of smuggling in any one area, and is reviewed regularly. Furthermore, the management by Customs of import and export cargo controls has been the subject of a detailed analysis over the past two years to ensure that efficiency and effectiveness at South Coast ports provides a good service for the users and value for money to the taxpayer. HM Customs and Excise are satisfied that current Customs resourcing levels along the South Coast are sufficient.