§ Brian CotterTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions the Inland Revenue has attempted to bring under the Finance Act 2000 for income tax evasion; what the value was of the revenue the Inland Revenue has attempted to recoup; how many attempted prosecutions have been successful; and how much has been recouped by the Treasury as a result. [167510]
152W
§ Dawn PrimaroloThe Board of Inland Revenue has prosecuted, in total, 215 individuals since the introduction of the new offence in S144, Finance Act 2000. Most have involved charges of cheating the public revenue or false accounting. The total includes eight people who have been successfully prosecuted using the offence in section 144 of Finance Act 2000 of fraudulently evading income tax. There have been no acquittals in cases where charges were brought under that offence. In the eight cases successfully prosecuted, approximately £100,000 tax loss has been recouped.
There are presently a further eighteen cases where criminal proceedings involving the offence in Finance Act 2000 are in the course of being instituted.