Tax Avoidance (Public Servants) Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Tax Avoidance (Public Servants)

Thomas Docherty Excerpts
Thursday 2nd February 2012

(12 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Danny Alexander Portrait Danny Alexander
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As I have said, I signed off the salary level for the appointment. I reduced it significantly, and reduced the expenses paid under the arrangement. As soon as the fact that there was a potential tax benefit to an individual was given to me, in the last few days, I took the action described, including writing round to Cabinet colleagues on Tuesday.

Thomas Docherty Portrait Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife) (Lab)
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Given that this is the Chief Secretary to the Treasury’s third and last chance, will he now tell us which Minister or Ministers signed off the tax arrangements on this deal?

Danny Alexander Portrait Danny Alexander
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I can tell the hon. Gentleman what I have said already. I signed off the salary level in this case. The terms and conditions of the appointment were put forward by the Student Loans Company in the Department for Business, and came to me for approval in the usual way, given the salary level that was being proposed.