Taxation: Avoidance — Question

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 2:53 pm on 11 December 2012.

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Photo of Lord Dubs Lord Dubs Labour 2:53, 11 December 2012

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that if companies and individuals complied with the letter and spirit of the law, the Treasury would be £32 billion better off. Is he aware that the public are extremely angry about this and that the whole situation is grossly unfair to those companies that pay their taxes, such as John Lewis and Marks & Spencer? Is he further aware that the army of bankers, accountants and lawyers advising those companies on how to evade their taxes are the same people the Government employ for their own business? Will he take action in the tax havens that make all this possible?