Tax Avoidance (HSBC) Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Tax Avoidance (HSBC)

Jacob Rees-Mogg Excerpts
Monday 23rd February 2015

(9 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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George Osborne Portrait Mr Osborne
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Unfortunately for the hon. Lady, the Labour party had 13 years when they had a Labour Chancellor standing at this Dispatch Box able to introduce all these things she talks about. As I have said, we are looking very seriously in the Budget at what further action we can take to tackle not just those who evade their taxes, but those who facilitate that evasion.

Jacob Rees-Mogg Portrait Jacob Rees-Mogg (North East Somerset) (Con)
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Does this question itself show the danger of eliding tax avoidance and tax evasion? There is no obligation on anybody to pay more tax than the law requires and even the most respectable families have schemes of arrangements to minimise things like death duties, whereas tax evasion is a very serious criminal offence which should be come down on with the full force of the law.