Asked by: Viscount Bridgeman (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address cross-border smuggling of diesel fuel between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Deighton
A range of measures are in place to detect and deter cross border smuggling of diesel between the Republic and Ireland and Northern Ireland. These include investigative work on either side of the border, for example checking of documentation, and acting on intelligence received. This is augmented by close cooperation and information sharing by the HMRC, the Irish Revenue Commissioners and other relevant agencies.
Additionally, HMRC fights fraud on a wide range of fronts, from special units performing thousands of roadside checks to raiding laundering plants. The UK has recently announced, jointly with Ireland, an improved new marker for rebated fuel, which will make it much harder to launder marked fuel and sell it at a profit.