Tax Avoidance (HSBC) Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Tax Avoidance (HSBC)

Stephen Pound Excerpts
Monday 23rd February 2015

(9 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Julian Smith Portrait Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con)
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Many small businesses and taxpayers in north Yorkshire will be shocked by the time line that the Chancellor has just described. Will he clarify once again what the last Government knew and when?

George Osborne Portrait Mr Osborne
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They don’t want to hear about their record in government, Mr Speaker. Every single alleged offence happened when the Labour Government were in office. The information became publicly known when the Labour Government were in office. Lord Green’s first public appointment was as chair of the Prime Minister’s business council under the Gordon Brown Administration. The information was received from the French authorities under the last Labour Government. So I think the whole House—and, indeed, my hon. Friend’s constituents, who pay their taxes—would like the shadow Chancellor to get up and express a little bit of humility and contrition for the mistakes made when he was in office.