To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many illegal cigarettes were seized by HM Revenue and Customs in (a) the UK and (b) Northern Ireland in 2008; and what the number seized per head of population was in each case. (264775)

[holding answer 19 March 2009]: High level data on tobacco seizures are published in the HMRC annual reports—available on the HMRC website:

www.hmrc.gov.uk

The latest report contains details for 2007-08. However, the information is not collated and recorded in a way that would enable the level of detail requested to be identified.