§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated loss to the Treasury was in unpaid duty arising from fuel smuggling from the Irish Republic into Northern Ireland; and if he will publish the tonnage of legitimate fuel deliveries on which duty has been paid in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [159819]
§ Dawn Primarolo[holding answer 1 May 2001]: For an estimate of the revenue lost through oils fraud and legitimate cross-border shopping in Northern Ireland, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Lagan Valley (Mr. Donaldson) on 21 March 2001, Official Report, column 233W.
For the tonnage of fuel deliveries in Northern Ireland I refer the hon. Member to "Digest of UK Energy Statistics", table 3.9, published annually by the Department of Trade and Industry, which sets out these estimates.