asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if any estimate has been made of the number of people who are evading British taxation by residing in foreign countries, and of the amount of taxation revenue so lost to the Exchequer?

No, Sir; there are no data on which any such estimate could be based.

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman find out this information from the number of passports that are issued?

I am afraid that the passport does not disclose that information.

Would it not be possible to make these people pay a surcharge on their passports in order to get some information?

Mr. Graham White.