New alcohol duty taskforce launched
The economic secretary to the Treasury, Nicky Morgan, opened the first meeting of the Joint Alcohol Anti-fraud Taskforce (JAAT) yesterday (16 January).
The JAAT has members including senior officials from key Government departments and enforcement agencies including HM Revenue and Customs, Home Office, Border Force and Trading Standards as well as members of the alcohol supply chain.
These members include the British Beer and Pub Association, the Scotch Whisky Association, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, the UK Warehousing Association, the Federation of Wholesale Distributors, the Bonded Warehousekeepers Association, the Association of Convenience Stores, the British Retail Consortium and the Road Haulage Association.
Improve intelligence
The group will work to improve intelligence and information-sharing and current legislation and processes, to prevent fraud and make it more difficult for fraudsters to operate. It will build on HMRC’s Tackling Alcohol Fraud strategy, which was launched in 2010-11 to cover fraud involving all categories of alcoholic drinks.
Criminal gangs
Economic Secretary to the Treasury Nicky Morgan said: “Alcohol fraud illegally diverts money that could otherwise be spent on public services and reducing the deficit. The fraud, which often involves organised criminal gangs, undermines honest businesses up and down the country.
“This Government will not let criminals steal money which our country is legally entitled to. The Government has invested £1 billion to tackle fraud, error and debt, and will work with the alcohol industry to strengthen our efforts to tackle this billion pound crime.”
Beer Group
The All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group launched an investigation into duty fraud after the Government proposed the introduction of duty stamps on beer bottles. The setting up of a task force was one of the suggestions made by the group to help tackle fraud.
BBPA pleased
Brigid Simmonds, BBPA chief executive: “We’re very pleased the Task Force is getting down to business, and very much welcome HMRC’s increased efforts to tackle fraud. It is something we have long supported. The Task Force brings together the entire alcohol supply chain alongside government stakeholders, so should make a real difference in sharing intelligence, and cracking down on illegal activity.”
