Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the contribution of Edward Troup in oral evidence to the Committee of Public Accounts on 5 November 2012, HC716, Question 60, what progress has been made on the further dozen pending criminal prosecutions for cases related to HSBC and tax evasion.

The information sought was provided by Edward Troup in oral evidence to the Committee of Public Accounts on 28 October 2013, HC666, from Question 328 onwards.

It is a long standing principle that Ministers are not involved in individual cases. HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) approach to prosecution has not changed since it was set out by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer in 2002 – (Official Report, 7 November 2002; Vol. 392, c. 784W.).