Paice Asked Questions on Super Rich Tax Avoidance

6.30.41pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 4th Feb 2008

With the UK's super rich now avoiding tax to the tune of £13 billion a year Lib Dems are asking Jim Paice MP if its morally right for the Tories to accept millions of pounds from such multimillionaires?

Commenting on the study by the TUC into tax avoidance published on Friday, Jonathan Chatfield the Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for South East Cambridgeshire said:

"The level of tax avoidance by the UK super rich is enough to increase the state pension by 20 per cent.

"By using loopholes in the tax system and their wealth to employ the best advisors, these people are legally avoiding taxes which the rest of us pay and which we depend on for funding pensions, health care, law and order, the armed forces, public transport etc.

"The electoral commission reports that the Conservatives receive millions of pounds from those highlighted by the TUC study.

"It is reported that Lord Ashcroft the Tory peer donates and loans hundreds of thousands of pounds to his party while his tax affairs are questioned by fellow Lords.

"I'm now asking our local MP for his position on tax avoidance by the super rich and for his view about accepting huge amounts of money from such people and the message that that's sending to ordinary taxpayers."