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Withholding Tax
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will veto the withholding tax at the ECOFIN Council on 25 May. [84527]
Dawn Primarolo: The draft Directive on savings is still in draft form. There is no proposal to vote on the matter at the ECOFIN meeting on 25 May.
Tobacco (Excise Duty)
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much extra revenue will be raised in excise duty on tobacco products due to changes made since 1 May 1997 in 1997-98 and each of the following four years. [76573]
Dawn Primarolo: The table shows the estimated extra revenue raised in excise duty on tobacco products due to changes made since 1 May 1997:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| Year | Extra Revenue |
| 1997-1998 | 5 |
| 1998-1999 | 210 |
| 1999-2000 | -875 |
| 2000-2001 | 975 |
| 2001-2002 | 1,160 |
These figures have been calculated by comparing estimated cash revenue streams under the Government's 5 per cent. tobacco escalator with an estimate of what revenue streams would have been under the previous government's 3 per cent. escalator.
Cigarettes Market
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate of the proportion of the market in cigarettes taken by (a) legal personal imports and (b) illegal imports. [76566]
Dawn Primarolo:
HM Customs and Excise estimate the proportion of the UK tobacco market taken by legitimate cross-border shopping (excluding duty free
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purchases) to be about ½ per cent. in 1997. This is based on Customs' analysis of data from the International Passenger Survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics, for which the latest year available is 1997. Separate estimates for cross-border shopping of individual tobacco products are not published.
HM Customs and Excise also estimate the proportion of the UK cigarette market taken by cross-Channel smuggling and smuggling by air passengers to be about 3 per cent. This is based on Customs' own surveys of international passengers carried out in 1998.
Additionally, HM Customs and Excise are working, with representatives of the tobacco industry, to establish robust ways of measuring the overall scale of tobacco duty evasion. Work is still in progress on this, but Customs' latest assessment, based on the results to date, leads us to believe that the proportion of the UK cigarette
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market taken by all forms of smuggling, including smuggling in freight consignments, was perhaps approaching 10 per cent. in 1998.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the loss of duty to the Inland Revenue as a result of (a) spirit, (b) beer and (c) tobacco purchases in France by United Kingdom residents during the last 12 months. [76055]
Dawn Primarolo:
The collection of excise duty is the responsibility of HM Customs and Excise. Customs do not publish specific estimates for purchases made in France only. Customs' most recent estimates of the revenue lost (excise duty and VAT) through cross-border shopping and cross-Channel smuggling from other EU member states, for 1997 and 1998 respectively, are given in the table.
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| £ million | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-border shopping 1997 | Cross-Channel smuggling 1998 | |||||
| Product type | Duty | VAT | Total | Duty | VAT | Total |
| Beer | 35 | 20 | 50 | 90 | 50 | 140 |
| Wine | 95 | 45 | 140 | 35 | 15 | 50 |
| Spirits | 40 | 15 | 50 | 20 | 5 | 30 |
| Hand-rolling tobacco | (1)-- | (1)-- | (1)-- | 575 | 150 | 730 |
| Cigarettes & Other tobacco products | 50 | 10 | 60 | 220 | 50 | 270 |
| Total | 215 | 85 | 305 | 945 | 275 | 1,220 |
(1) Separate estimates for cross-border shopping of individual tobacco products are not published. The total for all tobacco products is shown under 'cigarettes and other tobacco products'.
Notes:
1. Estimates of legitimate cross-border shopping are based on data from the International Passenger Survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics, for which the latest year available is 1997.
2. Estimates of cross-Channel smuggling are based on Customs own survey of returning sea and Tunnel passengers, most recently carried out in June 1998.
3. Figures have been independently rounded to £5 million. Components may not therefore sum to the totals shown.
4. Figures use Customs' assumptions that 70-80 per cent. of alcohol purchased abroad substitutes for similar purchases in the UK.
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The estimates exclude any amounts for revenue lost on alcoholic drinks and tobacco products smuggled in freight consignments. Customs have not published any estimates for the extent of these activities for alcoholic drinks. Customs' assessment of the scale of all forms of tobacco smuggling, based on work still in progress to measure such smuggling, is given in reply to a written parliamentary question from my hon. Friend the Member for Preslie Pembroke (Jackie Lawrence) today.
Further details of the cross-border shopping and cross-Channel smuggling estimates are given in a technical report placed in the House of Commons library on 19 November 1998.
Animals (Exports)
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the result of discussions between his Department and the Home Office concerning possible criteria for further controls on the export of animals for use in experiments, which would enable his
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Department to take into account the treatment of animals in the country of destination before the issuing of official non-statutory health certification. [84186]
Mr. Rooker:
Officials from both Departments have met to discuss this matter and will be meeting again this month. I am not yet in a position to report on how we plan to proceed since further discussion and consideration is needed.
Mr. Tyler:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action has been taken to implement the recommendation of the Carden Committee on Organophosphates, that a database of case histories of adverse reactions to organophosphates should be established. [84177]
Mr. Rooker
[holding answer 14 May 1999]: Officials are actively pursuing this issue as recommended by the Official Group on OPs. We await a fully worked up research proposal to enable a funding decision to be made.
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Mr. Drew:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will bring forward proposals on measures to protect cattle through the Berne Convention. [84422]
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Mr. Rooker:
The Government have no plans to seek the inclusion of cattle in the Berne Convention. The aims of the Convention are to conserve wild flora and fauna and their natural habitats with particular emphasis given to endangered and vulnerable species.