To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost of vehicle excise duty evasion in London, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997. [122749]

A breakdown of evasion by local authority area could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Figures of evasion in London were given in my previous answer of 25 June. Estimates of the cost of this evasion in London would be £19.4 million in 1999–2000 and £20.6 million in 2002–03. Increase in lost revenue is not as sharp as the increase in evasion because of the reduction in the average value of licenses.