Tax Avoidance (HSBC) Debate

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Department: HM Treasury
Monday 9th February 2015

(9 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Mike Kane Portrait Mike Kane (Wythenshawe and Sale East) (Lab)
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To the British people, this looks like one rule for the uber-wealthy and another rule for the rest of us. Will the Minister explain why there has been only one prosecution in five years?

David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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Part of the issue is that, as I have said, HMRC has consistently used civil penalties as the most cost-effective way of collecting the revenue and changing behaviour. When these cases have been taken to the Crown Prosecution Service, it has taken the view that a successful prosecution would be unlikely without corroborating or additional evidence and just on the basis of the data from the leaks.