Tax Evasion

HC Deb 25 July 1986 vol 102 cc664-5W

Mr. Knox

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions there were in each of the past 10 years for tax evasion; and how many of these resulted in convictions.

Mr. Norman Lamont

For the Inland Revenue, information is available only in respect of the number of persons prosecuted. The details are:

	Persons prosecuted	Convictions
1976–77	326	317
1977–78	172	166
1978–79	188	180
1979–80	150	142
1980–81	189	172
1981–82	176	146
1982–83	142	134
1983–84	159	148
1984–85	239	233
1985–86	254	242

In addition the number of convictions obtained by the police in each of the last 10 years for tax frauds in connection with construction industry tax deduction scheme was:

	Number
1976–77	149
1977–78	48
1978–79	22
1979–80	10
1980–81	15
1981–82	27
1982–83	3
1983–84	5
1984–85	8
1985–86	74

The details in respect of VAT prosecutions are:

	Prosecutions	Convictions
1976–77	77	76
1977–78	142	135
1978–79	107	103
1979–80	95	86
1980–81	100	97
1981–82	98	94
1982–83	124	123
1983–84	145	142
1984–85	165	158
1985–86	238	231