Letter to the Chairman of the Committee
from Stephen Timms, MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury
One of my first tasks as a Treasury Minister in October
1999 was to respond to the Northern Ireland Select Affairs Committee's
thorough report on the Impact in Northern Ireland of Cross Border
Fuel Price Differentials (21 July 1999).
The Committee has asked for a progress report and
I attach to this note a memorandum on those recommendations still
outstanding.
Since my response to the Committee in October 1999
there have been two significant new developments; firstly the
creation of the Organised Crime Task Force, chaired by the Northern
Ireland Minister of State Adam Ingram, MP; and secondly since
September 2000 Customs have increased by a factor of four the
number of officers devoted to tackling oils fraud in Northern
Ireland.
As you will appreciate some of the recommendations
do not require an update following my response in October 1999
and these are noted at the end of the memorandum.
8
January 2001
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