Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether ministerial approval was given to HM Revenue and Customs to conduct a pilot programme of the tobacco industry's Codentify trading and tracing system.

HM Revenue and Customs is not conducting a pilot programme of the Codentify tracking and tracing system.

HM Revenue and Customs is piloting Codentify as a tool for product authentication only.

As this is a trial only, no ministerial approval was required or has been sought.