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8 Oct 2007 : Column 232W—continued
Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many calls were received to the confidential hotline Customs Confidential in each year since 2000; how many resulted in charges being issued; and if he will make a statement. [154491]
Jane Kennedy: Statistics for HMRC's Customs Confidential Hotline are unavailable for the years 2000 to 2002. They are held for 2003 onwards and are:
| Calls received | |
It is not possible to identify the number of charges resulting from these calls. Prosecution is one among a range of options that HMRC may take in relation to intelligence derived from Customs Confidential. In cases that lead to prosecution the intelligence received through Customs Confidential may be a small part only of that used during the course of the investigation.
Smuggling: Tobacco
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what proportion of HM Revenue and Customs cigarette seizures were of (a) counterfeit cigarettes and (b) contraband cigarettes, in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement; [154483]
(2) how many (a) counterfeit and (b) contraband cigarette seizures there were of (i) 0-250,000, (ii) 250,001-500,000, (iii) 500,001-750,000, (iv) 750,001-1,000,000, (v) 1,000,001-2,000,000, (vi) 2,000,001-3,000,000, (vii) 3,000,001-4,000,000, (viii) 4,000,001-5,000,000, (ix) 5,000,001-6,000,000 and (x) 6,000,001 or more cigarettes in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement. [154497]
Angela Eagle: The latest HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Annual Report, available on the HMRC website: www.hmrc.gov.uk covering the period 2001-02 to 2005-06, indicates that HMRC has seized more than 12 billion cigarettes since the Tackling Tobacco Smuggling Strategy was launched in 2000. Prior to 2002, HMRC did not estimate the proportion of counterfeit cigarettes seized.
From 2002 to 2004, data on seizures of cigarettes in quantities above 500,000 sticks, and from 2004, data on seizures in quantities above 250,000 sticks, are published in HMRC Annual Reports. No further breakdown of this information is available.
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many confiscation orders concerning suspected illicit tobacco were (a) requested and (b) given in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement; [154484]
(2) how many people convicted of using their premises for the sale of unmarked tobacco products were fined in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement; [154487]
(3) how many people convicted of trading in illicit tobacco not bearing a UK duty-paid fiscal mark were (a) given a fine and (b) prohibited to sell tobacco products for up to six months in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement; [154488]
(4) how many people convicted of (a) tobacco smuggling and (b) handling smuggled tobacco were given a (i) fine, (ii) community sentence and (iii) custodial sentence in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement; [154489]
(5) what the average time was between seizure of suspected illicit tobacco and cigarettes and criminal charges being issued for (a) tobacco smuggling and (b) handling of smuggled tobacco in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [154501]
(6) how many (a) seizures, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions there were for the use of premises for the sale of illicit tobacco in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [154502]
(7) how many (a) seizures, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions there were for trading in illicit tobacco in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [154503]
(8) how many (a) seizures, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions there were for the handling of smuggled tobacco in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [154504]
(9) how many (a) seizures, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions there were for smuggling tobacco in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [154505]
Angela Eagle: High level data on tobacco seizures, numbers of people sentenced and the value of confiscation orders made are published in HM Revenue & Customs Annual Reports—available on the HMRC website: www.hmrc.gov.uk. The latest report contains details for years 2001-02 to 2005-06. However, the information is not collated and recorded in a way that would enable the level of detail requested to be identified.
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many scanners were in operation as part of the national network of scanners to detect high volume tobacco and cigarette smuggling in freight containers in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement. [154490]
Angela Eagle: The Government take very seriously the detection of smuggled cigarettes and tobacco and the fleet of scanners has made a vitally important contribution to the success of the tobacco smuggling strategy. The number of scanners that have been in operation since 2000 is:
| Number | |
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much hand-rolled tobacco bound for the UK was seized overseas by HM Revenue and Customs overseas officers and their host agencies in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement. [154493]
Angela Eagle: Figures for the amount of hand-rolling tobacco (HRT) seized overseas have not been routinely compiled and published to date. Most seizures of illicit shipments of HRT take place in he UK as the criminal activity normally involves the smuggling of product which has been purchased duty-paid in other member states. These seizure statistics are published in HM Revenue and Customs annual reports—available on the HMRC website:
The last report contains details of such seizures from financial years 2001-02 to 2005-06, and indicates that more than 1,150 tonnes of HRT have been seized since the Tackling Tobacco Smuggling Strategy was launched.
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many illegal cigarettes bound for the UK were seized overseas by HM Revenue and Customs overseas officers and their host agencies in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement. [154494]
Angela Eagle: HM Revenue and Customs publishes its seizure statistics in its annual reports—available on the HMRC website:
These statistics include details of the amount of seizures of illicit cigarettes made overseas as a result of HM Revenue and Customs overseas officers' engagement with their host agencies. The last report contained details of such seizures from financial years 2001-02 to 2005-06, indicating that HMRC has seized more than 12 billion cigarettes since the “Tackling Tobacco Smuggling Strategy” was launched in 2000.
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what progress has been made in reaching the operational target for hand-rolled tobacco of reducing the size of the UK illicit market by 1,200 tonnes by 2007-08; and if he will make a statement; [154495]
(2) how much was spent in each year on the publicity campaign launched in March 2000 to increase public awareness of tobacco smuggling; and if he will make a statement; [154498]
(3) how many people were employed to tackle tobacco smuggling in each year since 2000, broken down by job description; and if he will make a statement; [154499]
(4) how much was spent on tackling hand-rolled tobacco and cigarette smuggling communication campaigns in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement. [154506]
Angela Eagle: The most recent HM Revenue and Customs estimate of the size of the illicit market for hand-rolled tobacco (HRT) is for 2004-05. Estimates for 2000-01 to 2004-05 were published in "Measuring Indirect Tax Losses—2006" by HMRC in December 2006 and is available in the House of Commons Library.
An assessment of the HRT illicit market share estimate for 2005-06 will be available at the pre-Budget report 2007.
The full-time equivalents (FYE) of staff employed to tackle tobacco smuggling for 2005-06 and 2006-07 are shown in the table. Figures for 2000-01 to 2004-05 are not available.
| Detection | Investigation | Intelligence | Total | |
HMRC have invested just over £5.1 million (excluding VAT) in media campaigns to support the anti-smuggling cigarette and hand-rolling tobacco strategies since March 2000. The spend by year was:
| Media s pend (£) | |
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the (a) revenue loss, (b) illicit market share and (c) cross-border shopped share of the illicit hand-rolled tobacco market in each year from 2004; and if he will make a statement. [154496]
Angela Eagle: The estimated revenue loss to the Exchequer (duty plus VAT) from the consumption of hand-rolled tobacco supplied illicitly and from legitimate cross-border purchases and their respective market shares of total consumption for 2000-01 to 2004-05 are given in “Measuring Indirect Tax Losses—2006” published by HMRC in December 2006, which is available in the House of Commons Library.
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what average time was taken to confirm or deny that seized (a) cigarettes and (b) hand-rolled tobacco was counterfeit before charges could be made in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [154500]
Angela Eagle: Since the measures requiring tobacco manufacturers to control their supply chains came into effect on 1 October 2006 the time taken to determine whether seizures of cigarettes or hand rolling tobacco notified to the tobacco manufacturers were counterfeit has been less than 30 days. Prior to this, the time taken varied but was rarely more than two months. The circumstances of each case determine what further action may be taken.
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings his Department had with tobacco manufacturers to discuss tobacco smuggling in each year since 2000; what the dates were of the meetings; and if he will make a statement. [154507]
Angela Eagle: Contact with the main UK tobacco manufacturers and exchange of information has been a key part of the success of the tackling tobacco smuggling strategy. Officials of HM Revenue and Customs have met regularly and frequently with UK tobacco manufacturers in each year since 2000 to discuss tobacco smuggling and other issues.
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the market share of illicit cigarettes of cross border marketing and smuggling in each year since 2003; and if he will make a statement. [154533]
Angela Eagle: HM Revenue and Customs estimates the market share of illicitly supplied cigarettes consumed in the UK and of cigarettes that have been legitimately cross-border shopped.
The estimated market share, and revenue loss to the Exchequer, of illicitly supplied and cross-border shopped cigarettes for 2000-01 to 2004-05 are given in “Measuring Indirect Tax Losses—2006” published by HMRC in December 2006 and is available in the House of Commons Library.
Stamp Duties
Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the timetable is for the introduction of the zero rate of stamp duty for zero carbon homes; [153802]
(2) what records (a) his Department, (b) HM Revenue and Customs and (c) the Valuation Office Agency will collate on the number of house sale transactions that received the zero rate of stamp duty on zero carbon homes; [153803]
(3) what his Department's definition of a zero carbon residential dwelling is for the purposes of stamp duty. [153812]
Kitty Ussher: The draft regulations, which set out (among other matters) the definition of a new zero-carbon home for stamp duty land tax purposes, were circulated to the Public Bill Committee on the Finance Bill in May. The Treasury consulted interested stakeholders on these draft regulations in June and July. It is intended that draft regulations will be laid before Parliament in October under the affirmative procedure with a view to being approved by the House of Commons coming into force.
It is proposed that the tax relief will apply retrospectively to acquisitions of homes that met the criteria occurring from 1 October 2007, in line with the Government's Budget commitment.
The tax relief will be claimed using the stamp duty land tax return, which will contain a specific code for this tax relief. HM Revenue and Customs will therefore be able to monitor the number of claims for tax relief and the amount of relief given. HM Treasury will have access to this data in an aggregated form. The Valuation Office Agency has no plans to collate information in respect of the relief.
Tax Allowances: Small Businesses
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of small businesses which will benefit from the introduction of the new annual investment allowance in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10. [154284]
Jane Kennedy: The annual investment allowance (AIA) was introduced as part of the Budget 2007 business tax reforms. The AIA will benefit all those small businesses that make capital investments, regardless of their legal form. There are around 4.3 million small businesses, 2.1 million of which are estimated to be making capital investments. For 95 per cent. of these, the AIA will mean that all of their capital expenditure can be written off in the year of investment.
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