UK knew Swiss bank link in 2008

Thursday 12 February 2015

The bank worker who leaked HSBC Swiss bank account details has claimed he first contacted HM Revenue and Customs in 2008 and authorities have only a "tiny part" of the information available.

Herve Falciani, who initially obtained the list while employed as an IT worker in 2007, told Sky News he had emailed and phoned HMRC two years before data was handed over by French authorities in 2010.

His comments come amid an escalating political row about the disclosures.

Mr Falciani, who told the broadcaster he felt offshore banking was "out of control", said: "I sent an email, a very naive email, in 2008 ... to England - to the department dedicated to tax evasion - and afterwards I even called them. And finally the most efficient move was through the French authorities because when we accepted to work together it was established and agreed that what we were doing should be available to any any countries having co-operation treaties signed with France."

He added more "could have been done before" and there was "100-fold" more information than UK tax authorities currently have available.

"If you put (the data) together, if you get the investigators joining the effort and the information then you will have a huge case, but right now, I repeat, the British investigators receive just a tiny part," he said.

In the Commons yesterday, HMRC chief executive Lin Homer insisted that staff had been "diligent" in their approach to the files, and had secured one conviction and £135 million in unpaid tax, fines and interest.

Earlier, Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman indicated Ed Miliband is prepared to repeat allegations that former Tory party treasurer Stanley Fink engaged in "tax avoidance activities" without the cloak of parliamentary privilege.

Lord Fink has said the comments by the Labour leader in the Commons during Prime Minister's Questions were "untrue and defamatory". He challenged Mr Miliband either to withdraw them or repeat them outside the House, where he would not be protected from legal action.

But interviewed on BBC 2's Newsnight, Ms Harman insisted Mr Miliband stood by the comments he made during heated exchanges with David Cameron over allegations that HSBC's Swiss banking arm had helped thousands of clients avoid UK taxes.

She was asked by presenter Emily Maitlis: "Stanley Fink said Ed Miliband has got to repeat his allegations about him specifically that he had engaged in tax avoiding activities. Will he do that?"

Ms Harman replied: "Yes, and he stands by the assertion that these questions must be answered that there in The Guardian - and there they are - there are concerns about tax avoidance."

In a statement earlier, Lord Fink said he had a Swiss bank account because he was working for the Man Group in the country for four years from 1996 to 2000.

"During this time I had need of a local bank account to do simple things like receive my Swiss franc salary and pay grocery bills," he said.

"As I already banked with HSBC in London, I set up an account with HSBC. I subsequently set up an account with Credit Suisse as they had a branch much closer to my home and office. I submitted tax returns in both Switzerland and Britain showing my revised tax status, which was accepted by the Inland Revenue.

"The only way I have ever sought to depress my income tax liability is by giving a lot of my income to charity."

He told Mr Miliband: "I challenge you to repeat your allegation outside the House of Commons - or to withdraw it publicly."