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Treasury

Answer

Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many National Investigation Service investigations into fraudulent consignments of goods have been carried out in the last 10 years; how many such investigations are in progress; and what estimate has been made of the amount of excise duty lost to HM Customs and Excise as a result of decisions not to prosecute informers during investigations in each case. [31533] Mr. Boateng: Figures for the last 10 years are not available. Outward diversion fraud resulted from Single Market changes, which were only introduced from 1 January 1993. Customs investigated around 130 cases of outward diversion fraud between 1994 and 1998. After 1998 as a result of enhanced controls and the subsequent introduction of a strategic approach to countering fraud, patterns of fraud changed. It would not be in the public interest to reveal how many investigations into this type of fraud are in progress as this would assist fraudsters in evaluating the risk of perpetrating such frauds. It is not the policy of Customs to either confirm or deny the involvement of an informant in any case.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

31533; 379 c521W;379 c517W

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Criminal proceedings Customs and Excise Criminal investigation Customs Fraud Exports Excise duties Informers Smuggling Tax evasion Warehouses National Investigation Service

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk