division_name: The Economy
motion: <p>Question again proposed,  That the amendment be made.
  <p>estimate the loss of revenue through the smuggling of petroleum products into Northern Ireland in each year since 1997.
  <p>HM Customs and Excise assess the total revenue lost (excise duty and VAT) through cross-border shopping and smuggling of road fuels in Northern Ireland was about &#163;100 million in 1998.--[ Official Report , 20 March 2000; Vol. 346, c. 442W.]
  <p>in each of the last five years up to the latest date for which information is available.
  <p>No such estimates are available.--[ Official Report , 29 November 2000; Vol. 357, c. 953W.]
  <p>on 7 October when I met the Petrol Retailers Association.
  <p>The Institute of Petroleum has confirmed that it cannot provide sales data nor can this be obtained from the major oil companies.
  <p>&#163;100 million in the context of &#163;21 billion overall from fuel duties as a whole is really a very, very small part of the overall picture.
  <p>I am also proposing new legislation to take tough action against fraudsters and powers to deal with new scams quickly.
  <p>We have made it clear all the way through that we are committed to a referendum and we are committed to it as part of our programme for the next Parliament.
  <p>We shall legislate at the earliest available opportunity.--[ Official Report , 27 June 2000; Vol. 352, c. 719.]
  <p>We will ensure that victims are kept fully informed of the progress of their case, and why charges may have to be downgraded or dropped.
  <p>victims should get full information about the progress of their case . . . another big project for the second term of a Labour government.
  <p>Sadly, there has been no continuation of the bonfire of the quangos and agencies.--[ Official Report , 6 December 2000; Vol. 359, c. 57.]
  <p>I am merely reminding the Government that we have to keep in touch with our electorate and with reality.--[ Official Report , 6 December 2000; Vol. 359, c. 69.]
  <p>The Queen's Speech does not contain a commitment to legislate on housing, transfer of stock and arm's-length companies.--[ Official Report , 6 December 2000; Vol. 359, c. 78.]
  <p>no plans to increase tax at all.
  <p>
  However, under the Government the tax burden has risen to 37.8 per cent. of national income--an increase since the election of 2.6 per cent. That is the equivalent of an extra 10p in the pound on income tax, which is a tax increase by anybody's standards.
  <p>Conservative participation in the Deregulation Committee is almost nil . . . on many occasions not a single Conservative Member is present.--[ Official Report , 6 December 2000; Vol. 359, c. 39.]
  <p>Question put,  That the amendment be made:--
  <p>The House divided:  Ayes 178, Noes 326.
  