HMRC has published its second list of tax dodgers, three months after the first, in its attempt to deter companies from escaping tax.
Like the first list published in February, which received criticism for targeting ‘smaller’ offenders rather than big companies, the offenders include pubs, restaurants, and small traders.
A bar in Troon, a kebab shop in Peterborough, and a Tandoori restaurant in Blackpool all received fines ranging from £19,200 to £52,000 for offences relating to unpaid taxes between the window of April 2010 and April 2012.
But the new list, published three months after the first, does target some bigger culprits.
It includes details of a £1.12 million fine for Paymaster Ltd, described as a labour provider based in Birmingham, which leaves the company with an outstanding sum of just under £2 million.
Petroleum wholesaler EU Oil Ltd, previously based in Harlow, Essex, faces a total fine of £719,000, taking its total unpaid bill to over a million pounds.
The total tax arrears of the 15 firms is a hefty £4.6 million, though the argument will doubtlessly surface again that this is a minor sum compared to the billions thought to be skilfully avoided through legal loopholes and complex tax avoidance mechanisms.
Collective Action
Chancellor George Osborne has spoken of the importance of the need for collective action against tax evasion and avoidance.
The issue was discussed at a meeting of the G7 last week, with Britain expressing its hopes that all members of the EU will all sign up to a pilot scheme that will allow tax authorities to share data.
Mr Osborne also called upon traditional British tax-havens need to play a more important role in ensuring that due taxes were paid to the right territories.
"Of course you have to respect that many of these territories have important industries and we don't want to unnecessarily damage them," he said.
"But it is necessary to collect tax that is owed and it is necessary to reduce tax avoidance and the crown dependencies and the overseas territories need to play their part in that drive and they need to do more."
The move by HMRC to name and shame domestic tax dodgers was described in February as a "welcome first step", but the tax authority was warned not to focus solely on smaller offenders at the expense of larger firms.
Keith McDonald
Which4U Editor
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