Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54343 on Tobacco: Smuggling, how many and what proportion of those referrals resulted in a penalty; and what the average penalty was.

Of the 312 referrals received by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) from local authority Trading Standards, 87 have so far progressed through casework to the issuing of a financial penalty for breaches of the Tobacco Track and Trace requirements. The average penalty charge to date has been £6,005.

The progression of the remaining, and future referrals are expected to result in additional penalty charges being issued.