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418092

	registered interest
	date	09/09/2015
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Tobacco: Smuggling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much (a) the UK Border Force and (b) HM Revenue and Customs spent on delivering the Government's tobacco smuggling strategy in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Sherwood
	tabling member printed	Mark Spencer
	uin	9684
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>The total spent by HMRC on delivering the Government’s strategy to tackle tobacco smuggling in each of the last five years is as follows:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>2014/15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£65.75m</p></td><td><p>£68.92m</p></td><td><p>£67.61m</p></td><td><p>£76.00m</p></td><td><p>£78.001m</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Border Force cannot provide the information requested without incurring disproportionate costs.</p><p>Border Force adopts an intelligence led approach to all of its customs activities, including tackling tobacco smuggling so that its multi-functional resources can be deployed as effectively as possible in line with latest threat assessments.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 12/10/2015 13:53:11 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Mr Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4055 label Biography information for Mark Spencer

418090

	registered interest
	date	09/09/2015
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Tobacco: Smuggling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 30 October 2012, Official Report, column 210W, on tobacco: smuggling, how many people were convicted in relation to seizures made by the Border Force and HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Sherwood
	tabling member printed	Mark Spencer
	uin	9679
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>HM Revenue &amp; Customs (HMRC) is not a prosecuting authority. Where cases handled by HMRC do proceed to the criminal courts the prosecution is carried out by the relevant independent prosecuting authority. This is the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in England and Wales, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) in Scotland, and the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPSNI).</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 12/10/2015 13:47:44 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Mr Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4055 label Biography information for Mark Spencer

418091

	registered interest
	date	09/09/2015
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Tobacco: Smuggling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 30 October 2012, Official Report, column 210W, on tobacco: smuggling, how many individual seizures were made by the Border Force and HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last five years; and what the total volume of the products seized in each year was.
	tabling member constituency	Sherwood
	tabling member printed	Mark Spencer
	uin	9678
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2015 answer text <p>To the extent that we are able to provide details, the following tables show the number of individual seizures of cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco (HRT) made in each of the last five years and the total volume of tobacco products seized. This does not include the number of individual overseas seizures, which are not recorded centrally, or the number of individual postal seizures from 2010-11 when a new information system was introduced.</p><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Cigarettes: Number of Seizures</p></td><td><p>HMRC</p></td><td><p>UKBF</p></td><td><p>Overseas</p></td><td><p>Total</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>2,011</p></td><td><p>28,787</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td><td><p>30798</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>1,845</p></td><td><p>28,750</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td><td><p>30595</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>1,215</p></td><td><p>30,011</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td><td><p>31226</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>543</p></td><td><p>35,622</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td><td><p>36165</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>582</p></td><td><p>39,578</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td><td><p>40160</p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Cigarettes: Quantity (Sticks)</p></td><td><p>HMRC</p></td><td><p>UKBF</p></td><td><p>Overseas</p></td><td><p>Total</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>76,559,489</p></td><td><p>650,060,670</p></td><td><p>991,713,280</p></td><td><p>1,718,333,439</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>142,230,184</p></td><td><p>455,174,133</p></td><td><p>1,134,984,800</p></td><td><p>1,732,389,117</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>98,477,437</p></td><td><p>487,835,338</p></td><td><p>1,271,622,181</p></td><td><p>1,857,934,956</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>59,599,120</p></td><td><p>318,880,074</p></td><td><p>1,058,975,055</p></td><td><p>1,437,454,249</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>75,953,705</p></td><td><p>439,018,394</p></td><td><p>1,252,616,840</p></td><td><p>1,767,588,939</p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><p>HRT: Number of Seizures.</p></td><td><p>HMRC</p></td><td><p>UKBF</p></td><td><p>Overseas</p></td><td><p>Total</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>1,596</p></td><td><p>10,814</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td><td><p>12,410</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>1,567</p></td><td><p>11,533</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td><td><p>13,100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>1,044</p></td><td><p>12,552</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td><td><p>13,596</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>461</p></td><td><p>12,057</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td><td><p>12,518</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>411</p></td><td><p>12,804</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td><td><p>13,215</p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><p>HRT: Quantity (Kgs)</p></td><td><p>HMRC</p></td><td><p>UKBF</p></td><td><p>Overseas</p></td><td><p>Total</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>46,741</p></td><td><p>314,775</p></td><td><p>27,889</p></td><td><p>389,405</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>56,295</p></td><td><p>508,112</p></td><td><p>7,815</p></td><td><p>572,222</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>67,872</p></td><td><p>359,635</p></td><td><p>55,658</p></td><td><p>483,165</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>32,921</p></td><td><p>262,873</p></td><td><p>34,200</p></td><td><p>329,994</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>57,183</p></td><td><p>227,928</p></td><td><p>27,901</p></td><td><p>313,012</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 22/10/2015 16:16:56 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Mr Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4055 label Biography information for Mark Spencer

390183

	registered interest
	date	15/07/2015
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Tobacco: Smuggling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment HM Revenue and Customs has made of the effectiveness of the Codentify tracking and tracing system in preventing illicit trade in tobacco; and whether his Department plans to commission an independent assessment of the potential for that system to meet the requirement for a tracking and tracing system under the EU Tobacco Products Directive.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Wavertree
	tabling member printed	Luciana Berger
	uin	7477
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2015 answer text <p>The European Commission is still considering the options for implementation of the requirement for a tracking and tracing system under the EU Tobacco Products Directive, and no potential systems will be evaluated until that work is concluded.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 20/07/2015 13:50:52 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Mr Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4036 label Biography information for Luciana Berger

475625

	registered interest
	date	15/03/2016
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Tobacco: Smuggling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to ensure that the Codentify system is not advantaged over other available systems in any future decision on tobacco product authentication systems to be used by his Department.
	tabling member constituency	Livingston
	tabling member printed	Hannah Bardell
	uin	31262
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2016 answer text <p>Tobacco products classified as ‘illicit’ in the UK include anything on which duty has not been paid but should have been paid. This includes counterfeit products, brands manufactured legally overseas but not legally sold in the UK, and genuine products originating in the UK and overseas but diverted from legitimate supply chains by criminals. Because of this, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers use a variety of ways to identify illicit product. Testing product authenticity is one mechanism.</p><p> </p><p>To test product authenticity, HMRC uses identifiers required by legislation, for example, Fiscal Marks which manufacturers are required to print on specified tobacco products to show they are UK duty paid, as well as voluntary tools used by the manufacturers. One such voluntary tool is Codentify.</p><p> </p><p>Codentify was developed and introduced by the major tobacco manufacturers on their own initiative through the Digital Coding and Tracking Association (DCTA). HMRC played no part in the development or introduction of the system nor did HMRC require that it be introduced. Codentify codes already feature on packs and are there regardless of any HMRC use of them. HMRC took a policy decision, in line with the commitment to tackle illicit tobacco, to examine whether these existing codes could provide a useful additional tool to help officers authenticate product in the field.</p><p> </p><p>The trial is concerned only with the use of Codentify for product authentication, and no other aspect of the system is being used or evaluated. Codentify requires no specialist equipment or training. Officers are provided with basic guidance and access to an online system. No charge is made for use of the system and, as no procurement was needed, there was no requirement for HMRC to run a tender exercise. As this is a trial only, no Ministerial approval was required or has been sought.</p><p> </p><p>A number of HMRC officers have been given access to the system and trained by HMRC colleagues. The time spent on this activity is minimal and is estimated to be less than one staff year in total.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC has explained the use of Codentify as a potential product authentication tool to colleagues in Border Force and Trading Standards. However, they have not provided training to any officers in those organisations.</p><p> </p><p>The EU Tobacco Products Directive introduces a requirement for a pan European security feature and track and trace systems. The European Commission, working with Member States, is considering proposals and have yet to determine any technical specifications,</p><p> </p><p>HMRC is aware of a wide range of potential track and trace and security feature solutions on the market. They are not evaluating, and, given the current position on the Directive, could not evaluate any products against its requirements. The aspects of Codentify being used are entirely separate from the requirements of the Directive.</p><p> </p><p>In accordance with regulatory requirements, when technical specifications are determined, HMRC will ensure that any evaluation against them ensures no unfair competitive advantage or obstacles to competition.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 31255 31256 31257 31258 31259 31260 31261 question first answered 23/03/2016 14:27:40 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Mr Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4486 label Biography information for Hannah Bardell

475624

	registered interest
	date	15/03/2016
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Tobacco: Smuggling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost to the public purse is of (a) access by HM Revenue and Customs to the Codentify system to pilot its use for tobacco product authentication, (b) staff time to use that system and (c) other costs incurred through use of that system.
	tabling member constituency	Livingston
	tabling member printed	Hannah Bardell
	uin	31261
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2016 answer text <p>Tobacco products classified as ‘illicit’ in the UK include anything on which duty has not been paid but should have been paid. This includes counterfeit products, brands manufactured legally overseas but not legally sold in the UK, and genuine products originating in the UK and overseas but diverted from legitimate supply chains by criminals. Because of this, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers use a variety of ways to identify illicit product. Testing product authenticity is one mechanism.</p><p> </p><p>To test product authenticity, HMRC uses identifiers required by legislation, for example, Fiscal Marks which manufacturers are required to print on specified tobacco products to show they are UK duty paid, as well as voluntary tools used by the manufacturers. One such voluntary tool is Codentify.</p><p> </p><p>Codentify was developed and introduced by the major tobacco manufacturers on their own initiative through the Digital Coding and Tracking Association (DCTA). HMRC played no part in the development or introduction of the system nor did HMRC require that it be introduced. Codentify codes already feature on packs and are there regardless of any HMRC use of them. HMRC took a policy decision, in line with the commitment to tackle illicit tobacco, to examine whether these existing codes could provide a useful additional tool to help officers authenticate product in the field.</p><p> </p><p>The trial is concerned only with the use of Codentify for product authentication, and no other aspect of the system is being used or evaluated. Codentify requires no specialist equipment or training. Officers are provided with basic guidance and access to an online system. No charge is made for use of the system and, as no procurement was needed, there was no requirement for HMRC to run a tender exercise. As this is a trial only, no Ministerial approval was required or has been sought.</p><p> </p><p>A number of HMRC officers have been given access to the system and trained by HMRC colleagues. The time spent on this activity is minimal and is estimated to be less than one staff year in total.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC has explained the use of Codentify as a potential product authentication tool to colleagues in Border Force and Trading Standards. However, they have not provided training to any officers in those organisations.</p><p> </p><p>The EU Tobacco Products Directive introduces a requirement for a pan European security feature and track and trace systems. The European Commission, working with Member States, is considering proposals and have yet to determine any technical specifications,</p><p> </p><p>HMRC is aware of a wide range of potential track and trace and security feature solutions on the market. They are not evaluating, and, given the current position on the Directive, could not evaluate any products against its requirements. The aspects of Codentify being used are entirely separate from the requirements of the Directive.</p><p> </p><p>In accordance with regulatory requirements, when technical specifications are determined, HMRC will ensure that any evaluation against them ensures no unfair competitive advantage or obstacles to competition.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 31255 31256 31257 31258 31259 31260 31262 question first answered 23/03/2016 14:27:40 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Mr Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4486 label Biography information for Hannah Bardell

475623

	registered interest
	date	15/03/2016
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Tobacco: Smuggling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether officials of (a) HM Revenue and Customs, (b) Border Force and (c) trading standards services are being trained in the use of Codentify to authenticate tobacco products.
	tabling member constituency	Livingston
	tabling member printed	Hannah Bardell
	uin	31260
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2016 answer text <p>Tobacco products classified as ‘illicit’ in the UK include anything on which duty has not been paid but should have been paid. This includes counterfeit products, brands manufactured legally overseas but not legally sold in the UK, and genuine products originating in the UK and overseas but diverted from legitimate supply chains by criminals. Because of this, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers use a variety of ways to identify illicit product. Testing product authenticity is one mechanism.</p><p> </p><p>To test product authenticity, HMRC uses identifiers required by legislation, for example, Fiscal Marks which manufacturers are required to print on specified tobacco products to show they are UK duty paid, as well as voluntary tools used by the manufacturers. One such voluntary tool is Codentify.</p><p> </p><p>Codentify was developed and introduced by the major tobacco manufacturers on their own initiative through the Digital Coding and Tracking Association (DCTA). HMRC played no part in the development or introduction of the system nor did HMRC require that it be introduced. Codentify codes already feature on packs and are there regardless of any HMRC use of them. HMRC took a policy decision, in line with the commitment to tackle illicit tobacco, to examine whether these existing codes could provide a useful additional tool to help officers authenticate product in the field.</p><p> </p><p>The trial is concerned only with the use of Codentify for product authentication, and no other aspect of the system is being used or evaluated. Codentify requires no specialist equipment or training. Officers are provided with basic guidance and access to an online system. No charge is made for use of the system and, as no procurement was needed, there was no requirement for HMRC to run a tender exercise. As this is a trial only, no Ministerial approval was required or has been sought.</p><p> </p><p>A number of HMRC officers have been given access to the system and trained by HMRC colleagues. The time spent on this activity is minimal and is estimated to be less than one staff year in total.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC has explained the use of Codentify as a potential product authentication tool to colleagues in Border Force and Trading Standards. However, they have not provided training to any officers in those organisations.</p><p> </p><p>The EU Tobacco Products Directive introduces a requirement for a pan European security feature and track and trace systems. The European Commission, working with Member States, is considering proposals and have yet to determine any technical specifications,</p><p> </p><p>HMRC is aware of a wide range of potential track and trace and security feature solutions on the market. They are not evaluating, and, given the current position on the Directive, could not evaluate any products against its requirements. The aspects of Codentify being used are entirely separate from the requirements of the Directive.</p><p> </p><p>In accordance with regulatory requirements, when technical specifications are determined, HMRC will ensure that any evaluation against them ensures no unfair competitive advantage or obstacles to competition.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 31255 31256 31257 31258 31259 31261 31262 question first answered 23/03/2016 14:27:40 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Mr Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4486 label Biography information for Hannah Bardell

475621

	registered interest
	date	15/03/2016
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Tobacco: Smuggling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Revenue and Customs conducted an open tender exercise to select the Codentify system for piloting as a tobacco product authentication tool.
	tabling member constituency	Livingston
	tabling member printed	Hannah Bardell
	uin	31259
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2016 answer text <p>Tobacco products classified as ‘illicit’ in the UK include anything on which duty has not been paid but should have been paid. This includes counterfeit products, brands manufactured legally overseas but not legally sold in the UK, and genuine products originating in the UK and overseas but diverted from legitimate supply chains by criminals. Because of this, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers use a variety of ways to identify illicit product. Testing product authenticity is one mechanism.</p><p> </p><p>To test product authenticity, HMRC uses identifiers required by legislation, for example, Fiscal Marks which manufacturers are required to print on specified tobacco products to show they are UK duty paid, as well as voluntary tools used by the manufacturers. One such voluntary tool is Codentify.</p><p> </p><p>Codentify was developed and introduced by the major tobacco manufacturers on their own initiative through the Digital Coding and Tracking Association (DCTA). HMRC played no part in the development or introduction of the system nor did HMRC require that it be introduced. Codentify codes already feature on packs and are there regardless of any HMRC use of them. HMRC took a policy decision, in line with the commitment to tackle illicit tobacco, to examine whether these existing codes could provide a useful additional tool to help officers authenticate product in the field.</p><p> </p><p>The trial is concerned only with the use of Codentify for product authentication, and no other aspect of the system is being used or evaluated. Codentify requires no specialist equipment or training. Officers are provided with basic guidance and access to an online system. No charge is made for use of the system and, as no procurement was needed, there was no requirement for HMRC to run a tender exercise. As this is a trial only, no Ministerial approval was required or has been sought.</p><p> </p><p>A number of HMRC officers have been given access to the system and trained by HMRC colleagues. The time spent on this activity is minimal and is estimated to be less than one staff year in total.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC has explained the use of Codentify as a potential product authentication tool to colleagues in Border Force and Trading Standards. However, they have not provided training to any officers in those organisations.</p><p> </p><p>The EU Tobacco Products Directive introduces a requirement for a pan European security feature and track and trace systems. The European Commission, working with Member States, is considering proposals and have yet to determine any technical specifications,</p><p> </p><p>HMRC is aware of a wide range of potential track and trace and security feature solutions on the market. They are not evaluating, and, given the current position on the Directive, could not evaluate any products against its requirements. The aspects of Codentify being used are entirely separate from the requirements of the Directive.</p><p> </p><p>In accordance with regulatory requirements, when technical specifications are determined, HMRC will ensure that any evaluation against them ensures no unfair competitive advantage or obstacles to competition.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 31255 31256 31257 31258 31260 31261 31262 question first answered 23/03/2016 14:27:40 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Mr Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4486 label Biography information for Hannah Bardell

475620

	registered interest
	date	15/03/2016
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Tobacco: Smuggling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which Ministers were involved in the decision for HM Revenue and Customs to pilot Codentify as a tobacco product authentication tool.
	tabling member constituency	Livingston
	tabling member printed	Hannah Bardell
	uin	31258
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2016 answer text <p>Tobacco products classified as ‘illicit’ in the UK include anything on which duty has not been paid but should have been paid. This includes counterfeit products, brands manufactured legally overseas but not legally sold in the UK, and genuine products originating in the UK and overseas but diverted from legitimate supply chains by criminals. Because of this, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers use a variety of ways to identify illicit product. Testing product authenticity is one mechanism.</p><p> </p><p>To test product authenticity, HMRC uses identifiers required by legislation, for example, Fiscal Marks which manufacturers are required to print on specified tobacco products to show they are UK duty paid, as well as voluntary tools used by the manufacturers. One such voluntary tool is Codentify.</p><p> </p><p>Codentify was developed and introduced by the major tobacco manufacturers on their own initiative through the Digital Coding and Tracking Association (DCTA). HMRC played no part in the development or introduction of the system nor did HMRC require that it be introduced. Codentify codes already feature on packs and are there regardless of any HMRC use of them. HMRC took a policy decision, in line with the commitment to tackle illicit tobacco, to examine whether these existing codes could provide a useful additional tool to help officers authenticate product in the field.</p><p> </p><p>The trial is concerned only with the use of Codentify for product authentication, and no other aspect of the system is being used or evaluated. Codentify requires no specialist equipment or training. Officers are provided with basic guidance and access to an online system. No charge is made for use of the system and, as no procurement was needed, there was no requirement for HMRC to run a tender exercise. As this is a trial only, no Ministerial approval was required or has been sought.</p><p> </p><p>A number of HMRC officers have been given access to the system and trained by HMRC colleagues. The time spent on this activity is minimal and is estimated to be less than one staff year in total.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC has explained the use of Codentify as a potential product authentication tool to colleagues in Border Force and Trading Standards. However, they have not provided training to any officers in those organisations.</p><p> </p><p>The EU Tobacco Products Directive introduces a requirement for a pan European security feature and track and trace systems. The European Commission, working with Member States, is considering proposals and have yet to determine any technical specifications,</p><p> </p><p>HMRC is aware of a wide range of potential track and trace and security feature solutions on the market. They are not evaluating, and, given the current position on the Directive, could not evaluate any products against its requirements. The aspects of Codentify being used are entirely separate from the requirements of the Directive.</p><p> </p><p>In accordance with regulatory requirements, when technical specifications are determined, HMRC will ensure that any evaluation against them ensures no unfair competitive advantage or obstacles to competition.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 31255 31256 31257 31259 31260 31261 31262 question first answered 23/03/2016 14:27:40 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Mr Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4486 label Biography information for Hannah Bardell

475619

	registered interest
	date	15/03/2016
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Tobacco: Smuggling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what (a) policy and (b) operational reasons HM Revenue and Customs decided to pilot Codentify as a tobacco product authentication tool.
	tabling member constituency	Livingston
	tabling member printed	Hannah Bardell
	uin	31257
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2016 answer text <p>Tobacco products classified as ‘illicit’ in the UK include anything on which duty has not been paid but should have been paid. This includes counterfeit products, brands manufactured legally overseas but not legally sold in the UK, and genuine products originating in the UK and overseas but diverted from legitimate supply chains by criminals. Because of this, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers use a variety of ways to identify illicit product. Testing product authenticity is one mechanism.</p><p> </p><p>To test product authenticity, HMRC uses identifiers required by legislation, for example, Fiscal Marks which manufacturers are required to print on specified tobacco products to show they are UK duty paid, as well as voluntary tools used by the manufacturers. One such voluntary tool is Codentify.</p><p> </p><p>Codentify was developed and introduced by the major tobacco manufacturers on their own initiative through the Digital Coding and Tracking Association (DCTA). HMRC played no part in the development or introduction of the system nor did HMRC require that it be introduced. Codentify codes already feature on packs and are there regardless of any HMRC use of them. HMRC took a policy decision, in line with the commitment to tackle illicit tobacco, to examine whether these existing codes could provide a useful additional tool to help officers authenticate product in the field.</p><p> </p><p>The trial is concerned only with the use of Codentify for product authentication, and no other aspect of the system is being used or evaluated. Codentify requires no specialist equipment or training. Officers are provided with basic guidance and access to an online system. No charge is made for use of the system and, as no procurement was needed, there was no requirement for HMRC to run a tender exercise. As this is a trial only, no Ministerial approval was required or has been sought.</p><p> </p><p>A number of HMRC officers have been given access to the system and trained by HMRC colleagues. The time spent on this activity is minimal and is estimated to be less than one staff year in total.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC has explained the use of Codentify as a potential product authentication tool to colleagues in Border Force and Trading Standards. However, they have not provided training to any officers in those organisations.</p><p> </p><p>The EU Tobacco Products Directive introduces a requirement for a pan European security feature and track and trace systems. The European Commission, working with Member States, is considering proposals and have yet to determine any technical specifications,</p><p> </p><p>HMRC is aware of a wide range of potential track and trace and security feature solutions on the market. They are not evaluating, and, given the current position on the Directive, could not evaluate any products against its requirements. The aspects of Codentify being used are entirely separate from the requirements of the Directive.</p><p> </p><p>In accordance with regulatory requirements, when technical specifications are determined, HMRC will ensure that any evaluation against them ensures no unfair competitive advantage or obstacles to competition.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 31255 31256 31258 31259 31260 31261 31262 question first answered 23/03/2016 14:27:39 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Mr Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4486 label Biography information for Hannah Bardell