§ Mrs. Irene AdamsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he plans to introduce to help reduce smuggling of alcohol into the United Kingdom. [43938]
§ Mr. BoatengOn 27 November the Government announced as part of the pre-Budget report that Customs activity tackling cross-channel passenger smuggling of alcohol and tobacco has had a dramatic impact. Revenue losses in 2001 from this form of smuggling have reduced by 76 per cent. compared to 2000, with cross-channel passenger smuggling of beer almost eliminated and wine and spirits more than halved.
Building on these successes, and those of its wider efforts to tackle tobacco smuggling, the Government published alongside the PBR a paper "Tackling Indirect Tax Fraud". It sets out the strategic principles that underlie the Government's approach to tackling fraud and outlines the steps being taken to tackle other forms of fraud and smuggling in the alcohol sector.