To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many calls were received to the confidential hotline Customs Confidential in each year since 2000; how many resulted in charges being issued; and if he will make a statement. (154491)

Statistics for HMRC's Customs Confidential Hotline are unavailable for the years 2000 to 2002. They are held for 2003 onwards and are:

It is not possible to identify the number of charges resulting from these calls. Prosecution is one among a range of options that HMRC may take in relation to intelligence derived from Customs Confidential. In cases that lead to prosecution the intelligence received through Customs Confidential may be a small part only of that used during the course of the investigation.