TOBACCO SMUGGLING AND TAXATION

Early day motion 376, tabled 27 February 2001 by John Cummings (Labour). Signed by 31 members.

That this House notes with dismay that despite recent efforts made to improve the effectiveness of HM Customs and Excise, smuggling of tobacco products into the United Kingdom continues at such a seriously high level that one third of all cigarettes purchased in Great Britain and Northern Ireland have entered the country illegally; further notes that the influx of cheap contraband tobacco products has led to an increase in smoking, in particular among young people, while at the same time threatening jobs of workers in the British tobacco manufacturing industry and depriving Her Majesty's Treasury of ú3 billion worth of revenue; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to accept that this alarming situation is caused by the ever widening gap between British and continental tobacco taxation and therefore to reduce or at least freeze the duty on tobacco in the Chancellor's Budget.

Signatures by party: Labour 24, UUP 4, DUP 1, Liberal Democrat 1, UKUP 1.