HC Deb 05 April 2000 vol 347 cc490-1W
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy with excisions of matters of operational sensitivity to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, of Martin Taylor's report on the Government's strategy to combat tobacco smuggling and any accompanying correspondence. [117680]

Mrs. Lait

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy, with appropriate excisions of matters of operational sensitivity to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, of the Taylor report on the Government's strategy to combat tobacco smuggling and the accompanying correspondence. [117544]

Dawn Primarolo

No. Martin Taylor's advice to the Chancellor was personal and confidential. It would therefore not be appropriate to disclose his advice. However his recommendations on how to tackle tobacco smuggling were summarised in the Government paper "Tackling tobacco smuggling". A copy of this paper has been placed in the Library.

Mrs. Lait

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Martin Taylor's report on the Government's strategy to combat tobacco smuggling has been made available to the senior officers of HM Customs and Excise at policy and operational levels who are responsible for the control of tobacco smuggling. [117501]

Dawn Primarolo

Senior Customs and Excise officials are aware of the advice Martin Taylor gave to the Chancellor on how to combat tobacco smuggling.