asked the Secretary of State for Transport how much revenue it is estimated was lost through evasion of road tax in England, Scotland and Wales in the financial year 1984–85.

The survey carried out for my Department last summer showed an annual loss of around £90 million through evasion in England, Scotland and Wales. The report on the survey was published on 18 December 1984 and a copy is available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his best assessment of the number of civil servants involved in collecting road tax in England, Scotland and Wales.

Most vehicle excise duty is collected at post offices. In April 1985, 4,010 civil servants were employed in vehicle excise duty and vehicle registration work in England, Scotland and Wales; a specific allocation of staff to vehicle licensing work alone cannot readily be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many road fund licences were issued in the financial year 1984–85 in England, Scotland and Wales.

13·9 million 12-monthly and 14·9 million six monthly licences were issued in 1984–85.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how much revenue was raised by road tax in England, Scotland and Wales in the financial year 1984–85.

The net revenue from vehicle excise duty in 1984–85 was £2,091 million.