To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether, seeing that officers of Inland Revenue stationed at distilleries, managers and clerks at distilleries and distillers' duty free warehouses, Customs and Excise officers and employees at duty free (bonded) warehouses, and men employed in the working of warehouses in which wines and spirits are stored free of duty pending removal, are in the habit of obtaining wines and spirits gratis, and free of duty, for removal to their homes, that this is especially the case at distillers' warehouses in Scotland, that this custom involves losses to property owners and to the Revenue, that Excise and Customs officers in high places are chiefly responsible for this state of affairs, and that this custom has an injurious effect on the health and probity of these Customs and Excise officers, he will cause the Board of Inland Revenue to issue such stringent regulations on this subject as will effectually safeguard the Revenue and property owners from such losses.

I am not aware of any foundation for this serious charge against the members of the Customs and Excise services. If the hon. Member is able to produce evidence in support of his allegation, I will cause each case to be investigated.