Tax Avoidance

Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many accountancy firms have been investigated for selling tax avoidance schemes in the last 12 months.

Mr. Timms
Selling a tax avoidance scheme is not in itself an offence or a breach of statutory obligations that might trigger an HMRC investigation. However, scheme promoters are required to disclose information to HMRC about schemes falling within certain statutory descriptions. HMRC has investigated or is currently investigating more than 90 promoters suspected of failing to comply with a disclosure obligation.