§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated loss to his Department was from the fraudulent manufacture and use of red diesel in each of the last five years for which there are records. [145485]
§ John HealeyHM Customs and Excise's latest estimates of the overall revenue loss from all forms of diesel fraud in Great Britain and the overall revenue loss from all forms of diesel fraud and legitimate cross-border shopping of diesel in Northern Ireland in 2000, 2001 and 2002 are set out in their Annual Report (HC 52) published in December 2003.
The following table sets out Customs' latest estimates of the revenue loss in 1998 and 1999:
£ million Great Britain (diesel fraud)
Northern Ireland (diesel fraud and legitimate cross
border shopping of diesel)
1998 750 85 1999 900 175 Customs believe the great majority of diesel fraud on the British mainland, and a significant loss in Northern Ireland, involve the misuse of rebated or low-tax fuels supplied for non-road use, but a specific estimate of loss from red diesel alone is not available.