HC Deb 03 December 2001 vol 376 cc64-6W
Sue Doughty

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what records HM Customs and Excise are required to keep of the number of private cars seized by them; and what plans he has to change that requirement. [19396]

Mr. Boateng

Customs collate centrally and publish annual statistics on the number of vehicles seized across the UK. At a local level, Customs maintain specific records of all vehicles seized to deal with appeals and court cases as well as for intelligence gathering.

Sue Doughty

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much compensation was paid in each year since 1995 to drivers and their families from costs arising from cars wrongly impounded by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, including(a) consequential costs arising from loss of use of a car, (b) loss of items in the car, (c) loss of earnings and (d) travel costs incurred in collecting the car from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise. [19401]

Mr. Boateng

Information in this form is not centrally collated by Customs.

Sue Doughty

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what procedures are in place for the audit and reporting of(a) the number of private cars impounded by HM Customs and Excise at Channel ports, (b) personal possessions contained in private cars impounded by HM Customs and Excise at Channel ports and (c) disposal of tax discs in cars disposed of by HM Customs and Excise. [19402]

Mr. Boateng

At a local level, Customs maintain specific records of all vehicles seized to deal with appeals and court cases as well as for intelligence gathering. Personal possessions are returned to the owner either at the time of seizure, or can be collected within 30 days. Tax discs are an integral part of a vehicle to legalise road use and are retained. Local managers carry out assurance checks on all information held, and all Customs procedures are subject to internal audit and scrutiny by the National Audit Office.

Sue Doughty

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue from the disposal of private cars and personal possessions in those cars was retained by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in each of the last five years. [19400]

Mr. Boateng

None. All moneys relating to the sale of seized vehicles are returned to the Exchequer.

Sue Doughty

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what procedures are in place for(a) handling tax discs and (b) disposal of personal possessions in private cars which have been disposed of by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise at channel ports. [19398]

Mr. Boateng

Once a vehicle has been forfeited to the Crown, Customs dispose of the vehicle in the most cost-effective way. If Customs choose to sell the vehicle at auction then the tax disc is sold as part of the vehicle. If the vehicle is crushed, Customs return the tax disc to the DVLA and the Exchequer is refunded.

In the great majority of cases any personal possessions in private vehicles are taken by the individual at the time of seizure. However, Customs allow at least 30 days for the collection of personal possessions before they are disposed of.

Sue Doughty

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many private cars were impounded by HM Customs and Excise at channel ports in each year since 1995; and how many have been released to their owners by HM Customs and Excise following appeals by the car owners. [19397]

Mr. Boateng

Customs' centrally held information on the numbers of private vehicles seized does not distinguish the location at which seizure took place, nor is the number of vehicles restored on successful appeal centrally collated.

For the number of vehicles seized across the whole of the UK from 1994–95 to 1997–98, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 18 June 1998, Official Report, column 274W. For the number of vehicles seized across the UK in 1998–99, 1999–2000 I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 15 January 2001, Official Report, column 125W. Figures for the number of vehicles seized by Customs across the UK during 2000–01 are contained in the Government's response to the independent report by John Rogues into "The Collection of Excise Duties in HM Customs and Excise" (House of Commons command 5329, July 2001), a copy of which was placed in the Library on 19 July 2001.

Sue Doughty

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised from the disposal of personal possessions in private cars disposed of by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in each of the last five years. [19399]

Mr. Boateng

In the great majority of cases any personal possessions in private vehicles are taken by the individual at the time of seizure. However, Customs allow at least 30 days for the collection of personal possessions before they are disposed of. In the rare event that personal possessions are not claimed within a reasonable period, Customs dispose of them. It is not normally Customs practice to sell such items.