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Organised Crime (Northern Ireland)

That is partly why I wish to make one or two further points to explain our position more fully. However, we do not believe that that argument can be made in this case. In addition, the central principle is that we cannot have different tax duty systems in different parts of the United Kingdom. To do so would indeed mean derogating from the relevant European directive. As I said earlier to the hon. Member for Tewkesbury, even if we took that step and closed down that area of criminal activity, the activity would move elsewhere. It is the criminals themselves who must be confronted. It is interesting that differential rates in other parts of Europe do not pose the same problem. Germany and Poland have a 20p per litre fuel price difference; the difference between Spain and France is 14p, and between the Netherlands and Belgium it is 8p. In itself, a differential should not present a difficulty; the issue is the criminality that arises around it. The way forward is to confront the criminal gangs themselves, deal with them, get them locked up, seize their assets and close down their operations.