To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's press release of 10 April 2016, entitled UK launches cross-government taskforce on the Panama Papers, how many full-time equivalent staff from each agency have been allocated to that taskforce; and whether any staff in that taskforce (a) have the power of arrest, (b) are authorised to access directly the contents of suspicious activity reports, (c) are able to request data on companies incorporated in foreign countries and (d) have powers fully to investigate any allegations of (i) non-compliance with sanctions, (ii) money laundering and (iii) terrorist financing.

The cross-government taskforce was set up to respond to the Panama Papers data leak, with ongoing operational activity being directed and delivered by the relevant departments and agencies. This includes criminal and civil investigations undertaken by HMRC and the pension fraud investigation being conducted by the Serious Fraud Office and National Crime Agency.

As part of its work, the taskforce set up the ongoing cross-government Joint Financial Analytical Centre which has added greatly to the UK’s ability to tackle complex tax and economic crime at home and overseas. It will continue to analyse its holdings against other relevant datasets, including any material that comes out of future data leaks, in order to identify tax avoidance, evasion, assets for recovery, professional enablers who are facilitating financial crime and misconduct, and international bribery and corruption.

All of the powers listed in the question are vested in taskforce members. The number of officers holding each different power is not recorded centrally. HMRC’s 26,000-strong compliance workforce covers the full range of tax compliance risks, including the operational work generated by the taskforce in response to the Panama Papers.